Crossbow maniac who shot two young women in random attack was fuelled by ‘misogynistic rage'
A CROSSBOW maniac shot two young women in a random attack said to have been fuelled by 'misogynistic rage'.
The man, who then blasted himself in the head with a gun in an apparent suicide bid, is believed to have been targeting female students.
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He was arrested on suspicion of two attempted murders after Saturday's 3pm attack and was 'critical' in hospital last night.
His victims were aged 19 and 31.
One was 'stable' after surgery to life-threatening injuries.
The other was discharged from hospital.
A video emerged yesterday of the suspect walking to the area of a pub crawl known as the Otley Run in Headingley, Leeds.
He was dressed in black and armed with weapons including the crossbow, a break-barrel air rifle and CO2 and ball-bearing guns.
Restaurant worker Bethany Connelly said girls eating outside asked if they could finish their meals inside 'because they'd seen someone with a crossbow'.
She added: 'Minutes later we saw ambulance and police rushing down.'
Another local, April Place, suggested his outfit and weapons might have been mistaken for fancy dress.
She said: 'They all dress up with axes and things. No one would have taken any notice.'
Horror as 'gun pointed at crowd' & crossbow seized near UK city centre with 30 armed cops scrambled – as 7 arrested
Police, who searched the suspect's flat near the scene, were analysing a Facebook message outlining plans for 'The Otley Run massacre'.
It describes the 'attack type' as 'spree killing, mass murder, terrorism' which has been motivated by 'revenge' and 'misogynistic rage'. It tells how the sender had 'explored far-Right ideas'.
The post was removed by last night.
An earlier post by the same person outlined their hatred for feminists.
Counter Terrorism Policing North East took over the West Yorkshire Police probe to 'explore any potential motivation'.
Neighbours of the suspect, meanwhile, said he had mental health issues.
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