Shooter profile: Increasingly alienated from society

DESPITE initial ideas of gunman Jared Lee Loughner as Timothy McVeigh-style far-right supporter, the picture emerging of the 22-year-old shows little in the way of a coherent political ideology. In fact, Loughner seems to have been suffering from mental problems.

He had recently posted on his MySpace page a photograph of a United States history textbook, on top of which he had placed a handgun. He prepared a series of internet videos filled with rambling statements on topics including the gold standard, mind control and Swat teams. And he had started to act oddly during his classes at Pima Community College, causing unease among other students.

That behaviour prompted college administrators to call in Loughner's parents and tell them that their son had been suspended and would have to get a mental health evaluation to return to college. Instead, he dropped out in October.

The evidence and reports about Loughner's unusual conduct suggest an increasing alienation from society, confusion, anger as well as foreboding that his life could soon come to an end.