1999 Independence Day weekend shootings
1999 Independence Day weekend shootings | |
---|---|
Location | Chicago, Skokie, and Decatur, Illinois Bloomington, Indiana |
Date | July 2–4, 1999 |
Target | Jews and racial minorities |
Attack type | Spree shooting |
Weapons |
|
Deaths | 3 (including the perpetrator) |
Injured | 10 |
Assailant | Benjamin Nathaniel Smith |
Motive | racial hatred |
During the weekend of July 4, 1999,
Events
Smith was a follower of the white supremacist organization now known as the
On the evening of Friday, July 2, Smith shot and wounded nine
The next day, Smith traveled to Urbana, Springfield and then Decatur, where he shot and wounded an African-American minister.
On Sunday, July 4, Smith traveled to
Perpetrator
Benjamin Nathaniel Smith (March 22, 1978 – July 4, 1999) was born and raised in
After graduating, Smith attended the
Smith was a follower of the white supremacist organization now known as the
Aftermath
Around 2,000 people attended Won-Joon Yoon memorial service at the Indiana University Musical Arts Center on July 12, 1999. Attorney General of the United States Janet Reno spoke at the memorial service.[7][8] IU created a scholarship to honor Won-Joon.[8] Every July 4th, the Korean United Methodist Church holds an early morning service to remember Yoon who was murdered on his way to the church's Sunday service.[9]
Ricky Byrdsong's widow established The Ricky Byrdsong Foundation to "arrest the growing epidemic of hate and violence in our society by and against our youth."[10] The foundation holds a number of events in and around Evanston; the most well-known is the Race Against Hate, a 5K running race held annually in late June in Evanston. The Race Against Hate race draws several thousand runners. In 2009, a 10,000-meter running race was added in honor of the 10th anniversary of the Race Against Hate.[11]
One of the victims has filed a lawsuit against the World Church of the Creator and its leader Matthew Hale, Smith's parents, and the person who has been charged with selling guns to Smith without a license.[12]
A chapter of Lone Wolf (a study of
See also
- Los Angeles Jewish Community Center shooting, another attack that same year
- Antisemitism in the United States in the 21st-century
- Pittsburgh synagogue shooting
- Poway synagogue shooting
- History of antisemitism in the United States
- Creativity (religion)
- List of rampage killers (religious, political, or ethnic crimes)
- List of multiple homicides in Illinois
References
- ^ Walsh, Edward (July 6, 1999) "Racial Slayer Killed Himself in Struggle " The Washington Post
- ^ Michael H. Stone & Gary Brucato. The New Evil: Understanding the Emergence of Modern Violent Crime (Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books, 2019), pp. 74-78.
- ^ Kirsten Scharnberg; Evan Osnos; David Mendell. "THE MAKING OF A RACIST". Chicago Tribune.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
- ^ "CNN - Suspected shooter said his hate-filled leaflets spoke 'the truth' - July 6, 1999". www.cnn.com. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
- ^ Walsh, Edward (July 6, 1999) "Racial Slayer Killed Himself in Struggle " The Washington Post
- ^ "Indiana Shooting Victim Mourned". Los Angeles Times. July 14, 1999. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
- ^ a b "Won-Joon Yoon Remembered". Department of Economics. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
- ^ "20 years after slaying of Won-Joon Yoon, prayers to end violence still going up". The Herald-Times. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
- ^ "Race Against Hate 2019". events.ywcae-ns.org.
- ^ "Race Against Hate 2019". events.ywcae-ns.org.
- ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
- ^ Baudner, David (July 8, 1999). "Interviews with racist aired on Tv". Associated Press.