Highway 101 Snipe attack -1965
Encyclopedia
Early on the Sunday morning of April 25, 1965, cars traveling along Highway 101 just south of Orcutt, California were hit by gunfire from a nearby hilltop. These were the first shots fired by teenage sniper Michael Clark, who would kill three that day.
Late on the night of April 24, 1965 Michael Andrew Clark, a seemingly normal 16-year old boy living in Long Beach, California
had left home in his parents' car, without their permission. In the back of the car, he had a Swedish Mauser
military rifle equipped with telescopic sight
and a pistol he had removed from his father's locked gun safe along with a large quantity of ammunition. Early the next Sunday morning, he climbed to the top of a hill overlooking a stretch of US Highway 101
, just south of Orcutt, California
. As the sun came up Clark began shooting at automobiles driving down the 101 highway.
Two were killed and six more wounded as the shooting continued for hours before Santa Barbara County sheriff deputies rushed the hill and Clark committed suicide as they closed in. A five year old boy wounded in the head died a day later of his wound bringing the total to three dead for the rampage.
Reportedly the two men killed at the scene of the shooting were attempting to assist others who were trapped in a vehicle which had been hit by the gunfire.
A lawsuit was eventually brought to the courts by victims William, Lucille, and Kim Reida, complaining that parents Forest and Joyce Clark were negligent in two counts: “failure of the Clarks to train, control, and supervise son Michael” and also, “failure of Forest Clark to keep the rifle out of Michael’s hands. The case was decided in favor of the Clarks and generally upheld on appeal, although the appeals court found negligence on the part of father Forest Clark for not adequately securing the weapons.
Late on the night of April 24, 1965 Michael Andrew Clark, a seemingly normal 16-year old boy living in Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
had left home in his parents' car, without their permission. In the back of the car, he had a Swedish Mauser
Swedish Mauser
"Swedish Mausers" are a family of bolt-action rifles based on an improved variant of Mauser's earlier Model 1893, but using the 6.5x55mm cartridge, and incorporating unique design elements as requested by Sweden. These are the m/94 carbine, m/96 long rifle, m/38 short rifle and m/41 sniper...
military rifle equipped with telescopic sight
Telescopic sight
A telescopic sight, commonly called a scope, is a sighting device that is based on an optical refracting telescope. They are equipped with some form of graphic image pattern mounted in an optically appropriate position in their optical system to give an accurate aiming point...
and a pistol he had removed from his father's locked gun safe along with a large quantity of ammunition. Early the next Sunday morning, he climbed to the top of a hill overlooking a stretch of US Highway 101
Highway 101
Highway 101 is an American country music band founded by Paulette Carlson , Jack Daniels , Curtis Stone and Scott "Cactus" Moser . With Carlson as lead vocalist, the band recorded three albums for Warner Bros. Records Nashville and charted ten consecutive Top Ten hits on the Hot Country Songs...
, just south of Orcutt, California
Orcutt, California
Orcutt is an unincorporated township located in the Santa Maria Valley of California, and a census-designated place; it is in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Orcutt is named for William W. Orcutt, the manager of the Geological, Land and Engineering Departments of the Union Oil...
. As the sun came up Clark began shooting at automobiles driving down the 101 highway.
Two were killed and six more wounded as the shooting continued for hours before Santa Barbara County sheriff deputies rushed the hill and Clark committed suicide as they closed in. A five year old boy wounded in the head died a day later of his wound bringing the total to three dead for the rampage.
Reportedly the two men killed at the scene of the shooting were attempting to assist others who were trapped in a vehicle which had been hit by the gunfire.
A lawsuit was eventually brought to the courts by victims William, Lucille, and Kim Reida, complaining that parents Forest and Joyce Clark were negligent in two counts: “failure of the Clarks to train, control, and supervise son Michael” and also, “failure of Forest Clark to keep the rifle out of Michael’s hands. The case was decided in favor of the Clarks and generally upheld on appeal, although the appeals court found negligence on the part of father Forest Clark for not adequately securing the weapons.