Elliot Rodger

Elliot Rodger
Undated driver's license photo of Rodger
Born	(1991-07-24)July 24, 1991 London, England
Died	May 23, 2014(2014-05-23) (aged 22) Isla Vista, California, U.S.
Cause of death	Suicide by gunshot
Resting place	Cremated, location of ashes undisclosed
Other names	Virgin Killer The Supreme Gentleman (by incels) Saint Elliot (by incels) E.R. (by incels)
Citizenship	United Kingdom United States
Occupation	Former student at Santa Barbara City College
Known for	Perpetrator of the 2014 Isla Vista killings
Relatives	Peter Rodger (father) Soumaya Akaaboune (stepmother) George Rodger (grandfather)
Motive	Misogynist terrorism, perceived revenge for sexual and social rejection, incel ideology
Details
Date	May 23, 2014 ≈ 9:27 – 9:35 p.m.
Targets	Students of Santa Barbara City College and the University of California, Santa Barbara, roommates
Killed	6 (3 by stabbing, 3 by gunfire)
Injured	14 (7 by gunfire, 7 by vehicle-ramming)
Weapons	Six-inch "SRK" knife Eight-inch hunting knife Glock 34 Long Slide handgun (unused) Two SIG Sauer P226 handguns (only one used) 2008 BMW 328i Coupé
Signature

Elliot Oliver Robertson Rodger (July 24, 1991 – May 23, 2014) was a British-born American mass murderer who perpetrated the 2014 Isla Vista killings, where he murdered six people and injured fourteen others, before he fatally shot himself. The murders he committed, his suicide, and his manifesto have been cited as an early influence on the incel and manosphere subculture.

Born in London, England, Rodger relocated to California with his family as a child. Son of British filmmaker Peter Rodger, he grew up in a privileged household. Rodger struggled with social isolation, mental health issues, and rejection. As a teenager, he was diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), but did not meet the criteria for an autism diagnosis. He started treatment and received special education resources and therapy for most of his life. He endured bullying during his time in middle and high school. Several incidents of Rodger's strange behavior during his time in Isla Vista, California, along with videos and other writings that mentioned violent intentions, worried his family and acquaintances. Before starting his planned shooting rampage, Rodger uploaded to YouTube a video announcing his intention to "punish" women—as well as the men to whom they were attracted—for their lack of interest in him. He also e-mailed a 137-page manifesto—in which he described his major life events, personal struggles, and frustrations at having remained a lifelong virgin—to several of his family members, acquaintances, and therapists.

On May 23, 2014, Rodger murdered six people and injured fourteen others using knives, semi-automatic pistols, and his car as a weapon in Isla Vista near the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). Rodger first killed his two roommates and their friend in the apartment they shared, ambushing and stabbing them one at a time as they arrived at different times. Hours later, he drove to the Alpha Phi sorority house, where he intended to murder its occupants but was unable to enter the premises. Rodger instead shot at three women from the Delta Delta Delta sorority who were walking near the Alpha Phi sorority house, killing two of them while critically injuring the third. He later drove by a nearby delicatessen, shooting and killing a man inside. Afterward, Rodger drove around Isla Vista, indiscriminately shooting and ramming into pedestrians with his vehicle. He exchanged gunfire with sheriff's deputies twice, getting shot in his hip. Shortly after, he crashed his vehicle into a parked car. As police examined the vehicle, they found Rodger dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head.

In the years following his death, Rodger's attacks became a topic in conversations about mental health, online radicalization, and misogyny. He is cited as an early figure of the incel and manosphere subculture, being referred to as a "hero" and "saint" in internet forums. Rodger's attacks have often been praised by incels around the world. He has both influenced and been referenced by perpetrators of other mass killings, with some referring to their actions as "going E.R.", including those who perpetrated the 2015 Umpqua Community College shooting and the 2018 Toronto van attack. Rodger's killings have sparked social media campaigns like #NotAllMen and #YesAllWomen and have contributed to ongoing debates about toxic masculinity, gender-based violence, and the influence of internet forums in radicalizing young men who intend to commit copy-cat crimes.

Elliot Oliver Robertson Rodger was born in London, United Kingdom, on July 24, 1991,^[1] to parents Peter Rodger and Ong Li Chin Tye.^[2][3][4] Peter, a British national,^[5] is a filmmaker who has directed television commercials.^[6] His mother is of Malaysian Chinese descent and has also worked in the film industry; after training in health care, she worked as an on-set nurse during production of The Princess Bride (1987) and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989).^[2][7] His paternal grandfather George Rodger was a photojournalist who was well known for his images of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.^[8]

Following Rodger's birth, his family moved to Sussex, England, where he enjoyed an affluent and privileged childhood.^[9][10] Li Chin left her work in health care to take care of Rodger and soon bore a daughter. Rodger developed a close relationship with his maternal grandmother, who later moved with his family.^[11][12] He initially attended Dorset House School, a private, all-boys school in West Sussex.^[13] When Rodger was five, due to his father's directing career, his family moved to Woodland Hills, an upscale neighborhood of Los Angeles.^[14] Rodger claimed that his first friend in the United States was the daughter of British musician Paul Humphreys, and that she was his first and only female friend.^[15] Rodger then attended Topanga Elementary School.^[16]

Rodger's parents divorced when he was seven years old.^[17] Custody of Rodger was split between his parents' homes,^[18] and a year after their divorce, Rodger's father married Soumaya Akaaboune, a Moroccan-born French actress.^[19] Rodger expressed shock at how quickly his father remarried, but ultimately came to respect him for his decision. He soon viewed romantic relationships with women as a marker of social status.^[5][20] Rodger struggled with social interactions from an early age. In elementary school, he was withdrawn, whispered responses, and wrote answers instead of speaking. He avoided peers at recess and was overwhelmed by social gatherings. A trip to Disneyland around age five brought him to tears due to the crowds. He also exhibited repetitive behaviors like noises and foot-tapping.^[21]

In 1999, Rodger's mother filed an affidavit asking for more child support from his father, labeling her son as a "high-functioning autistic child" with special needs.^[22] Rodger's father presented a diagnosis by a doctor, who stated the autism diagnosis was incorrect because the examiner might have missed conditions like depression and anxiety.^[7] The doctor recommended additional evaluation of Rodger by a child psychiatrist to obtain a correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment.^[23] Rodger had a difficult relationship with his stepmother Akaaboune, whose parental authority he rejected in favor of his biological mother.^[9][24]

As he grew, Rodger became self-conscious about his short height and slender frame;^[16] he briefly played basketball in the belief it would make him grow taller.^[20] He also became embarrassed about his mixed-race heritage, which he felt set him apart from his entirely white peers.^[5] In an effort to blend in, Rodger dyed his hair blonde and began skateboarding, hoping these changes would help him befriend other children.^[18]

Rodger's mother met Steven Spielberg and George Lucas during her work as a nurse. According to Rodger, she briefly dated Lucas in the late 1990s, which led to her and Rodger being invited to several red-carpet premieres, including Star Wars premieres.^[23] During middle school, Rodger bragged about the invitations but later thought that his peers showed little interest and viewed Star Wars as "nerdy".^[24] He stated that he felt frustrated by their reaction, and that his enjoyment of movies began to wane due to his discomfort with the presence of couples at movie theaters.^[18][24]

Many of Rodger's social connections in school were initiated by other students or facilitated by the parents of his peers, and he later expressed anger when they stopped.^[24] He became known as a "quiet" and "weird kid" in middle school who intentionally annoyed classmates, leading to bullying by other students.^[24][25] Rodger claimed one of his bullies was a blonde girl, which he stated contributed to the development of his misogynistic attitudes.^[26] Rodger's grades declined and his social activity decreased,^[18][27] and he immersed himself in video games such as World of Warcraft at his parents' houses and cybercafés.^[28][29] Rodger's stepmother became concerned with his unwillingness to socialize and made him stop playing his video games, causing tensions between the two to escalate.^[23]

Upon reaching puberty, Rodger developed a high sex drive but began to believe he would never have sexual relationships with women.^[27] Rodger wrote that he began masturbating regularly while viewing images of women online and fantasizing about sexual activity with them. He said that he did not know how to access pornography and instead browsed general websites.^[30] When he was aged 11, a user on an AOL chatroom shared sexually explicit images of women with Rodger, which he wrote left him shocked and overwhelmed by emotion.^[17] Two years later, while at an internet café, Rodger saw another teenager viewing pornography, which left him shaken and caused him to return home crying.^[17] During this time, his stepmother became pregnant and gave birth to a son, Rodger's younger half-brother.^[31]

After finishing middle school, Rodger attended Crespi Carmelite High School (Crespi) and later William Howard Taft Charter High School (Taft).^[32][33] During his time at both schools, he reported experiencing severe bullying by other students, which contributed to anxiety and social withdrawal.^[23][33] On the last day of Rodger's freshman year, a classmate spoke about having sex with his girlfriend. Rodger did not believe him, causing the classmate to play a voice recording of himself and his girlfriend having sex. Following Rodger's subsequent outburst, his mother picked him up in the school's main office; it was the last time he would leave Crespi.^[17][27] Rodger subsequently enrolled at Taft. The larger student body heightened his anxiety, and he was withdrawn from the school after experiencing an anxiety attack during his first week.^[23] During this period, Rodger spent increasing amounts of time playing video games, including World of Warcraft, mostly at home, and retreated more from in-person social interactions.^[25]

In 2007, Rodger was diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), a diagnosis, grouped under autism, of someone having difficulties in developing socially.^[2][34] While Rodger did not meet the criteria to be diagnosed with autism, his PDD-NOS diagnosis helped him receive special education resources.^[2] At age 15, Rodger was prescribed Xanax and Prozac, but he stopped taking both medications after a year. He later began taking Paxil, but reported that it left him feeling excessively drowsy and fatigued. Rodger claimed he had to "rely entirely" on his "mind and positive thinking" to manage his social anxiety.^[35][36]

At the age of 17, Rodger reacted to the suggestion of visiting his stepmother's home country, Morocco, with a temper tantrum. He went with his stepmother and half-brother but remained discontent and continuously emailed his mother until she allowed him to return to her home.^[37] His father's filmmaking career severely declined during the 2000s, culminating in the documentary film Oh My God (2009), which bombed at the box office.^[23] The film's failure drove Rodger's father into debt and forced him to pause his child support payments.^[38] Rodger wrote that he read online discussions about teenage sexual activity that intensified his feelings of envy, leading him to view sexually active peers as enemies.^[30] He stated that this marked a turning point in which he began to believe that sexual activity should not be allowed for others.^[30]

Rodger harbored a fixation on becoming rich, believing it to be the key to gaining attention from women.^[5][39] He urged his mother to marry a wealthy man, but she refused.^[2][18][40] Rodger later pursued screenwriting and inventing as possible paths to success, but eventually abandoned these efforts.^[40] Disliking the milieu of standardized high schools, Rodger began attending classes regularly at Independence, a continuation high school, where he earned better grades, graduating in 2010.^[7][16][23]

By age 18, Rodger had ceased his mental health treatment and refused to take prescribed medication.^[41] Tensions continued to escalate with Rodger and his stepmother, and he was soon ejected from his father's house.^[30][37] He held his parents responsible for his lack of wealth, blaming his mother for not marrying a wealthier man for his benefit and his father for using his money to produce Oh My God.^[5][42] Rodger enrolled at Los Angeles Pierce College but soon left.^[18]

Despite his mother's encouragement to seek employment, Rodger spent his time frequently wandering around her house or reading at a bookstore, hoping to find friends. Later, he would sit alone in cafés, hoping for any woman to approach him.^[18][37] Rodger's parents worried about his direction in life and offered him help to find work,^[18][30] but Rodger deemed many jobs suggested to him to be "beneath him".^[37][40] Rodger's father referred him to his friend Karl Champley for construction work, and Rodger worked in construction for a time.^[12] Rodger felt jealous of what he perceived as his half-brother's growing popularity, but still enjoyed his company, claiming he was one of the few people who treated him with "respect and adoration".^[37]

Rodger soon enrolled at Moorpark College, attracted by its smaller size and appealing aesthetics. He was hopeful at the prospect of meeting blonde women and showing a potential girlfriend around his new campus. Rodger quickly experienced feelings of loneliness and unhappiness at Moorpark, and developing feelings of envy towards a couple in one of his classes. His discomfort was exacerbated by his social anxiety, particularly when he was called upon by a professor. Rodger dropped out of Moorpark after completing a year.^[43]

Rodger took comfort in the knowledge that his best friend, whom he had known since childhood, was also a virgin, but could not understand why his friend was not angry with women, as he was. Seeing his friend as weak, Rodger eventually confessed to him his thoughts of taking over the world and killing people. Their friendship grew strained, and Rodger's friend began to distance himself.^[44] Another friend later noticed Rodger's behavior and reached out to Li Chin, who told him that Rodger was already receiving treatment.^[45]

Rodger's parents decided to send him to college in Santa Barbara and agreed to pay for his apartment and classes.^[37] Rodger agreed to the plan after watching the crime drama film Alpha Dog (2006), believing the move would change his social circumstances.^[46] On June 4, 2011, Rodger moved into the Capri Apartments in Isla Vista near the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) campus.^[34] After enrolling at Santa Barbara City College (SBCC),^[25] he was angered when one of his roommate's Black friends said he had lost his virginity at the age of 13. Rodger retreated to his room in tears and called his mother, expressing his frustration over the attention Black men received from blonde women instead of him.^[44]

While eating with his father, Rodger noticed a Hispanic man seated with a blonde woman and became jealous after seeing them kiss.^[5] He said he nearly confronted the couple and considered pouring soda on them, but refrained because his father was present, stating that the incident left him feeling humiliated and believing he deserved blonde women.^[5]

Rodger found it difficult to form relationships with several roommates and chose to spend much of his time alone.^[47] When he shared an apartment with two Hispanic roommates, he would call them racial slurs and insist he was "superior."^[48] When his next roommate took his girlfriend to their apartment, Rodger began arguing with him, telling him he was "foolish" for being happy in a relationship with an "ugly whore."^[44] The roommate requested to be reassigned through the apartment management, stating that Rodger had "huge psychological issues," expressing that he was a "ticking time bomb waiting to explode," and that he was "at the point where I fear for my safety."^[49][50]

Rodger soon began developing hostility toward the people in Isla Vista, viewing himself as deserving of relationships with attractive blonde women and resenting those he perceived as more socially successful.^[51][52] Rodger started to have thoughts of killing women and couples, envisioning himself murdering couples when they were engaged in sexual activity.^[44][53] In July 2011, during a visit to a Starbucks coffee outlet, Rodger saw a couple kissing; he followed them outside and threw his coffee at them. The man yelled at Rodger, who fled the scene.^[54] That same month, Rodger noticed a couple kissing at a food court and later splashed them with iced tea.^[54] At SBCC, Rodger dropped a sociology course after seeing a blonde woman with her boyfriend in class.^[55] He became attracted to a woman in his math class and later discovered her Facebook profile, where he saw she had a boyfriend. He became angered by this and subsequently dropped the class.^[12][44] In January 2012, while driving past a bus stop, Rodger attempted to engage two blonde women by smiling; when they did not return the smile, he turned his car around and splashed them with his latté.^[54]

Rodger's father began working as a second unit director on The Hunger Games (2012).^[56] Rodger soon developed an obsession with designer clothing, purchasing items in an attempt to elevate his status.^[57] He would roam around Isla Vista every day, often sitting outside a Domino's Pizza outlet hoping a woman would find him attractive and initiate a conversation with him.^[44] In an attempt to find social connection, Rodger made a friend who introduced him to other acquaintances in hopes of integrating him into their circle.^[58][59]

By February 2012, Rodger withdrew from all of his classes at SBCC due to his frustration with his social interactions, particularly with women. He began to contemplate what he called a "Day of Retribution," a planned attack on women and couples.^[54] With these plans in mind, on March 11, 2012, Rodger traveled to attend a private Katy Perry concert, tickets for which his family were given by friends.^[60] The next day, Rodger went to the red-carpet premiere of The Hunger Games with his father and stepmother, where he met Jack Ross, the 16-year-old son of the film's director Gary Ross.^[18]

Rodger began to buy lottery tickets for the Mega Millions jackpot in June 2012, but he did not win.^[42][60] He began saving money for his planned attacks (eventually saving up to $5,000) to buy supplies,^[61] money he had saved from gifts from his grandparents and the $500 monthly allowance from his father.^[42] The following month, while walking alone in a park, he saw college students playing kickball. Rodger was overwhelmed with envy when seeing blonde women interacting with men; he purchased a Super Soaker and filled it with orange juice. He returned to the park, yelled at the students and sprayed them.^[23][54]

In August 2012, months after Rodger's father gave him The Secret by Rhonda Byrne—a self-help book that promotes the law of attraction—in February of that year, Rodger spent a month meditating in his bedroom, imagining himself walking through a park with a beautiful woman. He also drove to Malibu, where he imagined himself becoming wealthy and attracting women.^[54][62] The following month, after failing to win a $120 million Mega Millions jackpot, Rodger broke his laptop in frustration. While traveling to Oxnard the following day to purchase a replacement, Rodger visited a shooting range to learn how to use a firearm.^[54]

Still hopeful of becoming rich, starting in November 2012, Rodger drove on four separate occasions to Arizona over a six-month span to buy tickets for the Powerball jackpot, which had been raised to $500 million. Rodger failed to win, further angering him.^[54] Thinking this meant he would remain a virgin, Rodger began to prepare for his "Day of Retribution," choosing the city of Isla Vista as his target.^[54] In December 2012, Rodger bought a Glock 34 Long Slide semi-automatic pistol for $755.57 at a firearms dealer in Goleta, California.^[54][63] He purchased another handgun, a SIG Sauer P226, in Burbank for $1,100 in March 2013.^[61][64]

Rodger initially scheduled his attacks to take place around Halloween 2013, but realized the heightened police presence during the holiday would likely thwart his plans.^[12][65] He replanned his attacks for sometime in November 2013.^[57] Rodger and two new roommates were placed in a new apartment complex after taking a questionnaire about their personalities.^[66][67] Rodger initially joined them for social activities but after a few outings, he began to distance himself. One of the roommates suspected Rodger possessed a firearm after hearing a clicking sound from his room numerous times. Both of his roommates moved out in June 2013, having become uncomfortable living with Rodger.^[67]

On July 20, 2013, Rodger was intent on losing his virginity days before his 22nd birthday; he drank vodka to ease his nerves and attended a house party.^[2][6] Upon entering, he saw an Asian man speaking with a blonde woman and deliberately bumped into him while walking past.^[5] Frustrated by his inability to interact with women at the party, Rodger climbed a 10-foot (3.0 m) ledge and pretended to shoot people with his finger. He then insulted a group of women, and when he attempted to shove them off the ledge, a group of men pushed Rodger off, fracturing his ankle.^[68] He later went back to look for his sunglasses and entered the wrong house, where he was assaulted by the occupants, sustaining bruises and a swollen eye before returning to his apartment.^[69][70]

The following day, Rodger's father took his son to a hospital, where surgery was performed on his ankle. He helped his son file a police report, which caused two sheriff's deputies to attend the hospital to question Rodger. Rodger claimed that he was pushed off the ledge by four men after insulting one man for his appearance. He stated that he then went to the front yard of another house and sat down on a chair, where he was approached by approximately ten men who told him to leave. Rodger claimed he was grabbed by them and dragged to the house's driveway, where the men began hitting and calling him a homophobic slur; he remarked he struck one of them once before being further beaten.^[71] The police would classify it as a possible hate crime. When asked why he did not call the police, Rodger said he did not know who to contact. A deputy remarked on Rodger's dishonesty, deeming him too timid to tell the truth. A man at the party confirmed that Rodger had instigated the incident, noting he acted strangely and did not talk to anyone.^[71] A neighbor also reported seeing Rodger returning home in tears, swearing to kill his assailants and contemplating suicide.^[2][7] The sheriff's office concluded Rodger was the instigator, and the investigation was closed without further action. Rodger was not arrested nor further interrogated.^[71]

In August 2013, while recovering from ankle surgery, Rodger stayed with his mother and agreed to meet with a former childhood therapist. Fueled by resentment over the house party incident and his repeated rejections by women, Rodger concluded his only recourse was to enact his "Day of Retribution". Hindered by his fractured ankle, he again postponed his planned attacks until early 2014.^[2][54] Later that same August, Rodger's family invited Paul Humphreys's daughter to their house for dinner. Rodger subsequently viewed her Facebook profile and wrote that he "would take great delight in torturing and flaying her and every single one of her spoiled, obnoxious, evil friends".^[15] Rodger's mother later bought him a used^[42] 2008 black BMW 328i Coupé,^[64][72] giving him hope he might attract a girlfriend during the remainder of 2013.^[54]

Rodger's parents sought more professional help for him, leading to therapy sessions with psychiatrist Charles Sophy, which began in late 2012 and ended by the fall of 2013.^[73][74] During his treatment with Sophy, he was prescribed the antipsychotic drug risperidone, which Rodger decided not to take after researching it online.^[75][76] Peter sought assistance from his friend Dale Launer, a filmmaker known for his work on relationship-themed films, in an effort to improve Rodger's interactions with women.^[60][73] Launer agreed to help and communicated directly with Rodger via email and in person; however, Rodger found Launer's guidance ineffective.^[2][77] Rodger's mother later enlisted the help of an agency that provided three counselors. Between May 2013 and May 2014, Rodger attended 29 sessions; he connected well with two male counselors but became jealous when they socialized with others outside their sessions.^[2][35] He formed a connection with a female counselor but was offended by the suggestion that he require paid female companionship, comparing it to being with a prostitute.^[2] Rodger told his counselors about an interest in joining political science clubs and volunteering, intending to transfer to UCSB. Because of this, in late 2013, a counseling director told Rodger's mother he appeared to be making a sincere effort to improve his life and reduce his social isolation.^[2]

Rodger's parents also engaged a life coach named Gavin Linderman,^[35] who provided Rodger with instructions to improve his social life, requiring him to travel to Los Angeles for the sessions.^[2][78] During their meetings, Rodger told Linderman about his struggles with his virginity.^[12] Linderman suggested that moving away from Isla Vista might be beneficial for Rodger's mental health, but Rodger dismissed the idea.^[18] Li Chin later met separately with Linderman, a therapist, and the counseling director. After the meetings, she advised Rodger to temporarily leave Isla Vista and presented him with two options: either she would help him find a residential treatment center where he could get therapy every day, or he could move back home and receive intensive treatment from a therapist and social worker. Rodger responded by asking his mother to continue paying his rent, saying he had made new acquaintances, and promising to focus on his classes and meet with counselors. Because Rodger was now an adult, his mother could not legally force him to leave Isla Vista. After discussing with the therapists, his mother was told that she did all she could and was advised to support her son's wish to stay and complete his education.^[2]

The following semester, Rodger enrolled in some classes but withdrew early.^[2] In September 2013, he was assigned a random apartment, where he gained two new roommates: 20-year-old Weihan "David" Wang and 20-year-old Cheng Yuan "James" Hong.^[54][79] Rodger remained socially isolated from the two and had little interaction with them.^[80]

In October 2013, Rodger's envy of his half-brother intensified after his stepmother told him that his half-brother had recently been signed by an agent, which she described as being for television commercials.^[81] Rodger wrote that he planned to murder his half-brother, expressing resentment and fearing he would surpass him socially.^[82] He also planned to stab his stepmother in the neck, citing their strained relationship and stating that he believed she would interfere with his planned attacks.^[83] Rodger planned to commit the murders while his father was away on a business trip, as he was concerned he might hesitate if confronted with the task of killing his father as well.^[83]

According to Wang, Rodger was antisocial and largely withdrawn from him and Hong.^[84] Wang filed a complaint with the building's management stating that Rodger played loud music during the night.^[85] On January 15, 2014, a fight arose after Rodger became irritated by Hong's cooking and took some of Hong's kitchen items. Hong responded by taking three of Rodger's candles, valued at $22, which Rodger reported stolen, and placed Hong under citizen's arrest. Police were called, and Hong was arrested for petty theft after he refused to return the candles. Officers located the candles in his bed.^[71]

Rodger later emailed the building manager, demanding that Hong and Wang be evicted from the apartment for the stolen candles. He also complained they were always too loud and constantly played video games.^[2][86] Hong and Wang were angered by Rodger's actions but refrained from confronting him, concerned it might worsen their living conditions. Hong and Wang's parents grew concerned about their sons' living situation, but their sons reassured them that everything was fine. Hong and Wang distanced themselves from Rodger and signed a lease for a different apartment for the following semester.^[80][87] Rodger later wrote that he intended to murder both Hong and Wang, stating that he would have to eliminate them "to get them out of the way".^[88]

By January 2014, Rodger had imagined launching his planned attacks during Valentine's Day or Deltopia, a spring break event in Isla Vista in early April, but dismissed those dates due to an anticipated heightened police presence and the additional time needed for preparation.^[54] Rodger eventually chose to mount his attacks on April 26.^[57][54][89] In February 2014, Rodger called his sister while drunk and wandering alone through Isla Vista while complaining about women ignoring him. Rodger's sister reassured him and calmed him. Concerned about his social isolation, she became worried the social scene in Isla Vista would further damage her brother's mental health.^[2]

In February 2014, Rodger bought a second SIG Sauer P226 handgun for $1,132 in Oxnard, in case either of his other two guns jammed.^[61][63] Throughout February and March of that year, Rodger visited gun ranges and made multiple ammunition purchases.^[21][42] On two separate occasions, Rodger visited the library at SBCC, where a librarian assisted him in locating books about serial killers and mass murderers.^[35]

Rodger maintained an active online presence across multiple social media platforms, where he posted photos and videos expressing resentment toward women and frustration over his perceived social rejection. In the week before April 26, Rodger uploaded twenty-two YouTube videos with titles such as "Why do girls hate me so much?", "Being lonely on Spring Break sucks", "Life is so unfair because girls don't want me", and "My reaction to seeing a young couple at the beach, Envy".^[90][91]

In additional YouTube videos, Rodger recorded himself driving around Southern California in his BMW while listening to music by artists including Whitney Houston, George Michael, and Phil Collins.^[92][93][94] He posted his videos to forums like Bodybuilding.com; while some users mocked him as desperate and insecure,^[28] Rodger rejected help and advice offered by others.^[95] Rodger subscribed to multiple YouTube channels associated with the men's rights movement that posted content advising men on attracting and talking with women.^[96] He had a second YouTube channel named "Valtharion", a reference to World of Warcraft. Rodger would leave negative comments across several videos, calling women derogatory terms and accusing other men of lying about their relationships with women. He also boasted about his affluent family background and expressed racist viewpoints.^[97]

Rodger conducted online searches related to mass violence, including Adolf Hitler, Joseph Goebbels, and Heinrich Himmler. He also searched celebrities, luxury automobiles, Nazism, knife attacks, and racially charged topics, and queries including "Adolf Hitler and the law of attraction", "Nazi curbstomp", and "Holocaust of black people".^[34] He was active on online forums associated with the manosphere, including ForeverAlone and PUAHate, where users identified themselves as "incels" (involuntary celibates) and discussed resentment toward women and social rejection.^[98][99] Rodger also posted comments expressing racist and misogynistic views, including resentment toward interracial relationships.^[100][101] When Rodger told his father about the forums, his father confronted him, warning him that the content was negative and inappropriate and that he should not visit them.^[6] Rodger also informed his mother about the forums, though she did not give them much attention.^[2] Rodger later claimed that when he sent his parents a link to PUAhate.com, neither of them reviewed the forum's posts.^[7]

In April 2014, Rodger extended his preparations by visiting two additional gun ranges.^[21] After posting videos to his YouTube channel in the week leading up to April 26, Rodger planned to finish writing his manifesto and upload a final video minutes before starting his attacks.^[102] On April 24, Rodger became sick with a cold and his father returned early from his business trip, causing Rodger to question whether these events were a sign to abandon his plans.^[1][54] He postponed the date of his planned attacks to May 24 to allow recovery from his cold and more time to live.^[65]

On April 30, 2014, Rodger's mother became worried after she had failed to contact him for several days. Li Chin searched for Rodger online and found videos he had posted on YouTube. Becoming disturbed by the content, she tried calling her son again, but he did not answer. She then contacted Linderman and told him what she found.^[2] Linderman contacted a crisis hotline and spoke with a staff member, voicing concerns about Rodger mentioning self-harm, causing the staff member to request a welfare check on Rodger.^[2][103] Responding to the request, four sheriff's deputies, a university police officer, and a dispatcher in training visited Rodger's apartment.^{[103][104][105]}

When the police arrived at Rodger's apartment, he said the videos were his way of expressing his social difficulties in Isla Vista and that he had no intention of hurting anyone or himself.^[2] A deputy asked Rodger to call his mother to update her on his situation. He did so, told her he was fine, and handed his phone to one of the deputies. The deputy asked his mother if the videos caused her concern about Rodger harming himself or others.^[2] After she said she was not concerned, the deputies handed Rodger back his phone, and he told his mother he would call her later.^[103] Because they did not enter Rodger's apartment, watch his videos, or check whether he owned any weapons, they determined he did not pose an immediate risk to himself or others.^[103] The deputies determined Rodger did not meet the criteria for an involuntary hold and provided him with information on local support services.^[103]

Rodger was relieved after the police officers left because a search of his apartment would have uncovered his firearms and manifesto, and thwarted his attacks.^[106] After the police left, Rodger removed most videos from YouTube.^[107] The following day, Rodger's mother contacted the counseling office at SBCC but was unable to reach anyone.^[2] Rodger planned to repost the videos in the days leading up to his attacks in May.^[1][105] He took Xanax during this period.^{[35][108][109]}

Rodger created a 137-page manifesto entitled My Twisted World: The Story of Elliot Rodger.^{[110][111][112]} In the manifesto, Rodger describes his life and frustrations at staying a virgin. He described women as a "plague" and said their right to choose their own partners could "hinder the advancement of humanity"; and that "civilized men of intelligence" should choose women's sexual partners.^{[113][114][115]} He also stated women should not be given any rights, and that their "wickedness" needed to be "contained" to avoid the risk of humanity "falling into degeneracy".^{[57][40][116]} Rodger said women's refusal to accept him was a "declaration of war" and hoped his attacks would reshape humanity.^{[53][111][117]} According to Rodger, to "purify the world", it is necessary to remove love and sex from human existence.^{[7][118][119]} He imagined himself as a leader with "fanatically loyal troops" who imprison women in concentration camps, and the few left alive would be kept in "secret labs" and be "artificially inseminated" with sperm samples to become pregnant, ensuring men would be unaware of women's existence.^{[40][120][121]}

Rodger detailed his plan for his "Day of Retribution" and divided it into three phases.^[1][122] The day before starting his proposed phases, Rodger planned to drive to his father's house to kill his stepmother and half-brother.^[1][83] He would then steal their Mercedes SUV and drive it to Isla Vista.^[116][123] Rodger's first phase involved killing his two roommates and then luring victims into his apartment, slowly torturing them before killing them.^{[60][124][125]} In the second phase, which he dubbed the "War on Women", he aimed to target "the very girls who represent everything I hate in the female gender", specifically focusing on the Alpha Phi sorority house with the intent to kill as many occupants as possible before setting fire to the building.^{[122][126][127]} In his final phase, after setting the sorority house on fire, he would proceed to shoot and run over as many people in Isla Vista as possible with his parents' SUV.^{[1][57][122][123]}

Rodger showed a section of his manifesto describing his childhood in England to his mother, who was impressed and encouraged him to continue writing.^[2] Rodger's father knew he had been writing something, but Rodger refused to show it to him. During a hike together, Rodger's father expressed interest in his son's writing and asked to see it. Rodger declined the request, assuring his father he would share it with him soon.^[6]

Throughout May 2014, Rodger drove throughout Santa Barbara and Montecito during the weeks leading up to the attacks.^[1] On May 6, Rodger was involved in an altercation at a parking lot in Goleta Beach.^[34][36] When a man attempted to reverse out of a parking spot, Rodger blocked his exit with his car. Rodger told the man: "You're lucky to be an Asian guy dating a white girl. It's too bad she is such a horsefaced slut".^[36] The man's female partner, who was in a separate car in the same parking lot, witnessed the fight. After Rodger drove away within the parking lot, the man told his partner of the encounter. The woman then attempted to follow Rodger in her car within the lot. After a brief encounter in which Rodger did not respond, she left and observed him speeding through the parking lot, nearly striking other vehicles. The woman called the police and informed them of Rodger's BMW.^[36]

A week before his attacks, Rodger met his mother and sister for dinner at a restaurant in Montecito. During their meal, he saw a couple and quietly told his mother the man was too unattractive to be dating a blonde woman. Rodger's mother ignored his remark and shifted the conversation, feeling relieved to see her son again after April 30. Rodger's sister commented that he was eating more than usual, which made him scoff at her. Once they finished eating, they went their separate ways.^[2] On May 18, a Bodybuilding.com user noticed that Rodger had removed the "Why do girls hate me so much?" video,^[23][28] commenting that his romantic failures were likely due to "the creepy vibe that you give off" and sounding like a serial killer.^{[23][28][128]} Rodger replied that his parents had forced him to take the videos down, but planned to repost them.^[23][128] He later gave the same response in the description of one of his remaining videos, saying the videos concerned some of his family members and that he would repost them later.^[129][130]

On May 20, one of Rodger's videos was posted on Reddit's "r/cringe" subreddit,^[131][132] where users discussed Rodger's mental health and debated calling the police,^[133] with some making fun of Rodger and saying it was a fake,^[132] while another user compared him to the fictional serial killer Patrick Bateman from the film American Psycho (2000).^[128] On May 21, after being called a "low-class incel" on PUAHate, Rodger linked a video of himself, his father, and stepmother at The Hunger Games premiere, saying: "You're all jealous of my 10/10 pretty-boy face. This site is full of stupid, disgusting, mentally ill degenerates who take pleasure in putting down others. That is all I have to say on here. Goodbye."^[2][35] On May 22, Rodger accessed and viewed PUAHate and Bodybuilding.com before discovering and viewing anxietyzone.com.^[35][36] That same day, Rodger reposted a number of his videos on YouTube, including the "Why do girls hate me so much?" video.^{[54][105][107]}

Despite initially selecting May 24 as the date for his attacks, Rodger decided to initiate his attacks a day earlier ^[54] He told his mother his final day of school would be on May 23, that he would be taking a test at SBCC, and that he would call her after he finished the test.^[36] Rodger visited Giovanni's Pizza, where he stood silently on the patio, holding his phone. A female staff member approached and asked if he needed assistance, but Rodger remained silent, only smiling at her.^[65][134]

Before starting his attacks, Rodger took Xanax.^{[135][136][137]} He looked up pornography online and searched the terms "quiet silent kill with a knife" and "how to kill someone with a knife" before practicing stabbing on his bed sheets and pillows. Rodger armed himself with a six-inch "SRK" knife and eight-inch hunting knife, first ambushing and stabbing Wang when he returned to the apartment. Wang suffered fifteen stab wounds and twenty-three slashes while attempting to defend himself, after which Rodger moved Wang's body to Wang and Hong's shared bedroom and attempted to conceal it. Rodger then ambushed and fatally stabbed Hong when he entered afterward; Hong sustained twenty-five stab wounds and twelve slashes while attempting to defend himself. Rodger also moved Hong's body to the same shared bedroom and tried to conceal it. Later, 19-year-old George Chen, a friend of Hong and Wang who had come to visit them, entered the apartment and was ambushed and stabbed as Chen attempted to defend himself. Chen sustained ninety-four stab wounds and eleven slashes. His body was left in a bathroom.^[34][35][87] After the first stabbing, he tried to clean the apartment, which was covered in blood, and hide evidence before the second victim's arrival by using bathroom towels and paper towels, which were soaked in blood.^[35]

Rodger changed out his blood-soaked clothes, wrapped them in his bedsheets, and showered.^[2][21][35] At around 7:30 p.m., Rodger made a purchase at Starbucks and texted his mother saying he would call her later.^[2][138] He then returned to his apartment and wrote in his journal:

I had to tear some pages out because I feared my intentions would be discovered. I taped them back together as fast as I could. This is it. In one hour I will have my revenge on this cruel world. I HATE YOU ALLLL! DIE.^[2][35]

Minutes before starting his planned shooting attacks, he emailed his manifesto to thirty-four people and uploaded a seven-minute video called "Elliot Rodger's Retribution" to YouTube.^[139][140] In the video, Rodger repeated grievances about his life and described his intention to "punish" women and sexually active men.^[141][142]

At around 9:15 p.m., Rodger drove to the Alpha Phi sorority house. After failing to enter, at 9:27 p.m., he noticed three women, members of the Delta Delta Delta sorority, walking around the Alpha Phi sorority house.^[138][143] Rodger pulled up to them in his car and opened fire, killing 19-year-old Veronika Weiss and 22-year-old Katherine "Katie" Cooper while severely wounding a third woman.^[2][35] Weiss suffered seven gunshot wounds while Cooper sustained eight.^[36][144] Rodger then drove past a deli, shooting inside and killing 20-year-old Christopher "Chris" Michaels-Martinez with a single gunshot wound to the chest.^[145][146] Continuing his rampage through Isla Vista, Rodger shot seven people and wounded seven others with his BMW by striking them.^[147] He exchanged gunfire with police twice and was shot in the hip.^[148] He then crashed his BMW into a parked car and was found dead by police from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head at 9:35 p.m.^[138]

After searching Rodger's car, police found a Glock 34 Long Slide handgun with seven loaded, ten-round magazines; two SIG Sauer P226 handguns with thirty-four loaded, ten-round magazines;^[149][150] over 500 rounds of live ammunition; and two knives he used to kill his two roommates and their friend.^[138] The shootings lasted eight minutes,^[21] during which Rodger discharged approximately 55 9mm rounds.^[64][138] Rodger used only one of the Sig Sauer P226 pistols which was later found on the driver's seat of his BMW. The other two handguns were unfired.^[78]

Memorial wall honoring the first three victims killed in the 2014 Isla Vista killings. From left to right: George Chen, Weihan "David" Wang, and Cheng Yuan "James" Hong

Memorial service outside the Alpha Phi sorority house for Veronika Weiss and Katherine "Katie" Cooper

Memorial service outside the IV Deli Mart for Christopher Michaels-Martinez

During his attacks, Rodger murdered six people, two women and four men,^[151] all of whom were UCSB students,^[152] with fourteen others sustaining injuries,^[138] seven by gunfire and seven who were hit by Rodger's vehicle.^[147]

• Weihan "David" Wang,^[153] (1993-07-06)July 6, 1993 – May 23, 2014(2014-05-23) (aged 20),^[84] sophomore majoring in computer engineering^[79][154]
• Cheng Yuan "James" Hong,^[153] (1994-04-15)April 15, 1994 – May 23, 2014(2014-05-23) (aged 20),^[155] sophomore majoring in computer engineering^[79][154]
• George Chen, (1994-09-19)September 19, 1994 – May 23, 2014(2014-05-23) (aged 19),^[156] sophomore majoring in computer science^{[79][157][158]}
• Veronika Elizabeth Weiss,^[159] (1995-02-24)February 24, 1995 – May 23, 2014(2014-05-23) (aged 19),^[160][161] freshman and member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority majoring in financial mathematics and statistics^[154][162]
• Katherine "Katie" Breann Cooper,^[163] (1991-12-26)December 26, 1991 – May 23, 2014(2014-05-23) (aged 22),^[164][165] senior and member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority double majoring in art history and classics and archeology^{[154][162][166]}
• Christopher "Chris" Ross Michaels-Martinez,^[167] (1993-12-23)December 23, 1993 – May 23, 2014(2014-05-23) (aged 20),^[156][167] sophomore majoring in English^[154][168]

At around 10 p.m., Rodger's mother received a text message from Linderman that she initially ignored. Linderman then called her, telling her Rodger had sent an email and said he also discovered her son's "Retribution" video online, advising her to check them. Li Chin accessed the email, which contained his manifesto and his video.^[2] She immediately called Rodger's cellphone, which went to voicemail. Rodger's mother then called Santa Barbara police, telling them she needed to locate Rodger.^[2] Li Chin then called Rodger's father, who was dining with friends, and informed him of what she had been told. Li Chin, alone, drove toward Isla Vista while his father, stepmother, and their friends traveled in another car.^[2][6] As they separately approached Isla Vista, Li Chin called Rodger's apartment building manager, asking them to check if her son was in his room. The manager told her there had been a shooting and car chase in Isla Vista and that access to the building was restricted until the next morning.^[2]

Rodger's father repeatedly hit redial on his phone while trying to reach his son.^[6] As they neared Isla Vista, they heard radio reports of an active shooter in a black BMW near UCSB.^[169][170] Rodger's parents then received a call from a sheriff's detective,^[2][6] who asked whether their son had ever owned any guns. Li Chin later told a reporter that she was "startled" by the inquiry because Rodger had never shown any interest in firearms. She told the detective that Rodger had social problems and saw a therapist, and that she had been unable to reach him for several hours.^[2] The detective instructed Rodger's parents to meet them at a parking lot near Isla Vista.^[2][6] When a sheriff arrived around 1 a.m., Li Chin demanded to know her son's whereabouts. The sheriff said Rodger had been found dead and that his driver's license confirmed his identity.^[2][6] Rodger's parents later said they were devastated by the news and initially believed their son was among the victims. Peter stated that he learned subsequently that his son was the perpetrator after reports identified him.^[171][172]

Following his attacks, police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) conducted search warrants at the homes of Rodger's parents, first at his father's home in Woodland Hills and then at his mother's house in West Hills.^[33][173] Due to his attacks, Rodger's family received intense media attention and death threats, forcing them to move every two days.^[2][174] An autopsy done on Rodger's body concluded he died from suicide by a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head.^[135] In June 2014, Rodger's body was cremated and released to his family, who held a private ceremony and planned to hold a funeral in England later that year.^[175]

In early June 2014, Rodger's father met with Richard Martinez, the father of Michaels-Martinez, to talk about Michaels-Martinez's life and death.^{[176][177][178]} In a June 2014 interview, Peter told journalist Barbara Walters that although Rodger had a long history of social problems and had gone through years of therapy, he did not believe his son was capable of murder. He stated his son was good at hiding his true emotions and described him as an "incredible liar".^[171]

• Misogynist terrorism
• Gun laws in California
• List of rampage killers in the United States

• Isla Vista Investigative Summary Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office (Official Report) — February 18, 2015, Retrieved February 22, 2026 – via Los Angeles Times.
• The Manifesto of Elliot Rodger May 25, 2014, Retrieved February 22, 2026 – via The New York Times.
• Transcript of Elliot Rodger's Retribution May 24, 2015, Retrieved February 22, 2026 – via Los Angeles Times.
• Post-mortem image of Rodger Retrieved February 23, 2026 – via Megalodon.

   Media related to Elliot Rodger at Wikimedia Commons