Man who called Parkland killer a 'hero' fires at passing cars

Law enforcement officers in February block off the entrance to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, in Parkland, Florida, following a deadly shooting at the school. Photo / AP file

Before he settled into brush with a pistol and took aim at passing cars on a Georgia highway, Rex Whitmire Harbour wrote about his admiration for the Parkland gunman who killed 17 people in February.

But the outcome was different for Harbour.

He wounded three passing motorists in Gainesville at the weekend with semiautomatic pistol fire before deputies pursued him in a high-speed chase, ending with Harbour's self-inflicted gun shot to the head while his car was still in motion.

Harbour, a 26-year-old landscaper, died during a helicopter flight to a hospital.

Two people were struck by gunfire in the town about 80km northeast of Atlanta. A third motorist was struck by broken windshield glass, though authorities said those injuries were not life-threatening.

Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch told reporters yesterday that a search of Harbour's belongings revealed handwritten documents praising the Parkland killer, calling him a "hero" who gave him "courage and confidence."

Those revelations were disturbing and "hate-filled," Couch said.

Investigators recovered an arms cache from the 2003 Buick Century driven by Harbour, including three 9mm semiautomatic pistols, a .22-calibre bolt-action rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun and more than 3,400 rounds of ammunition that was mostly for the rifle, Couch said.

The victims were all struck by pistol fire, and authorities said they think it was the only weapon Harbour fired. A total of seven cars were struck by gunfire, authorities said.

Couch recounted the brief but terrifying few moments along Highway 365. A woman called emergency services to report that her husband was shot while driving 12 minutes before noon, and other calls of gunfire hitting vehicles soon flooded in.

A deputy questioning one victim saw Harbour's beige Buick pull out, and ran towards it with a gun drawn. Harbour saw the deputy and sped away.

The pursuit by deputies and Georgia State Patrol was brief, with speeds up to 130km/h. Harbour put a pistol to his head and pulled the trigger while the car was still moving. It continued on a driverless path for "quite some distance" before coming to a stop, Couch said.

Rex Whitmire Harbour shot seven cars, sending two people the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. A third person was wounded by broken glass. https://t.co/YiC3ZWibuD

— WCHO AM (@wcho_am) May 6, 2018

A dash camera recorded the shooting, he said.

Harbour's firing position alongside the road was probably chosen because it was isolated and concealed, authorities said. But a coincidence led them to detail his movements before authorities arrived. A trail camera strapped to a tree, probably left by a hunter to document paths of movement of game such as deer, was nearby and took photos of Harbour readying his position.

He wore two pistol holsters at that moment, Couch said. Authorities recovered 17 shell casings at the scene.

Couch said the gunman had no history of criminal or notable behaviour. His mother told authorities that Harbour was "mild-mannered and quiet."

Harbour's motive was unclear, authorities said, but Couch speculated that it was notoriety.

"He had the weapons, he had the ammunition, and obviously he had the will to inflict a lot of pain and a lot of hate," Couch said.