Robert Stewart Flores

Case record: Robert Stewart Flores

Background

Robert Stewart Flores Jr. was 41. He was a Gulf War veteran and worked at the Southern Arizona Veterans Administration Health Care System as a licensed practical nurse. He was studying to become a registered nurse.

University Vice Provost Elizabeth Irvin said Flores had failed a pediatric nursing class and was struggling in a critical care class. A critical care exam was being administered when Flores entered the classroom.

Flores was described as a struggling student who had been doing poorly in school. Students said he was very stressed and had difficulty adjusting, and Lori Schenkel said Flores had issues with being angry and seemed aggressive and mean. Sharon Ewing said it was common knowledge among the faculty that Flores was depressed, and that all three victims had tried to help him.

William Gordon said he worked with Flores at the veterans hospital and knew him for three years and saw nothing that would foreshadow violence, describing him as very nice, very intelligent, and very well-spoken.

University police chief Anthony Daykin said Flores conveyed to staff that he was depressed, thinking of ending it all, and that he might take some actions against the College of Medicine.

Flores was divorced with two children. Tucson Police said Flores had financial problems stemming from child support payments. Police Chief Richard Miranda said Flores did not have a grudge against his fellow nursing students and let some students go.

Flores carried five handguns and between 200 and 250 rounds of ammunition at the time of the shooting.

The offence

On the day of the shootings, Flores methodically killed three professors and then himself at the University of Arizona nursing school.

Flores entered the second-floor office of Assistant Nursing Professor Robin Rogers and shot her multiple times, killing her. She was 50.

He then moved up to the fourth floor, where a class was 40 minutes into an exam. He confronted and shot assistant professor of nursing Cheryl McGaffic. McGaffic was 44.

Flores also shot assistant professor of nursing Barbara Monroe. Monroe was 45. Monroe was at the podium when Flores entered; she attempted to crawl out of the way and curled beneath a desk. Flores moved over Monroe, asked if she remembered the last thing she said to him, and she replied, "No." Flores then asked, "Are you ready to meet her maker?" and shot her three times.

According to witness statements, after shooting McGaffic, Flores straddled her body and fired another round in her chest.

Flores called out for two friends he called "Jules" and "Lisa" to stand up and leave, and told the remaining students to "get the hell out." Once the classroom cleared, Flores killed himself with one of his five guns.

Tucson Police Chief Richard Miranda said, "Today, (Flores') focus was on the College of Nursing and his victims were premeditated."

Miranda also said Flores may have been planning to shoot more people but changed his mind at the last minute.

Miranda said Flores did not leave a suicide note.

Tucson Police Sergeant Marco Borboa said Tucson Police Department bomb-sniffing dogs picked up a scent in Flores' silver Jeep Grand Cherokee that could have been explosives. Police blew out the Jeep's rear window, searched the Jeep, and found nothing. Initially there was concern that Flores' backpack contained explosives, but it only contained a handgun and ammunition. Police said no explosives were discovered anywhere in the College of Nursing or Flores' home.

A psychiatrist Jose Santiago, chief medical officer of the Carondelet Health Network in Tucson, said the shootings were part of "a massive attempt to justify what he did." He said it was typical of "somebody who is very self-centered and feels imperfections are found in the rest of the world and not in him,".

Investigation

Police said at 8:37 a.m. someone in an adjacent classroom called 911. Police found Flores' body shortly after 9 a.m. and confirmed the shooter was no longer a threat.

Bomb squad members were called in after a backpack or package was found underneath the gunman's body. Police said the suspect had threatened to blow up the building, though it was unclear when the threat was made. The college and nearby buildings were evacuated, but no explosives were found.

Police said the police had no reason to doubt the authenticity of a 22-page suicide letter that was mailed by Flores. KVOA Channel 4 reported that the letter was received.

Arrest

No arrest was described.

Trial

No trial information was described.

Sentencing

No sentencing information was described.

Appeals

No appeals information was described.

Outcome

Flores shot three professors to death and then killed himself.

The victims were Robin Rogers, 50; Barbara Monroe, 45; and Cheryl McGaffic, 44.

Aftermath

During the day, much of the UA Health Sciences Center was evacuated, but the University Medical Center remained open and accepted patients.

Many of the nursing students left belongings, including house and car keys, behind in the classrooms and were unable to go back in for them until late yesterday when police began letting people in to collect belongings. University of Arizona Police Department Chief Anthony Daykin said all buildings closed yesterday would reopen today except for the College of Nursing building, which would likely remain under police control until Wednesday.

Students wishing to inquire about the status of buildings could call the Dean of Students Office at 621-7060.

For students unable to get to or get into their homes due to lack of keys, rooms were made available at the UA-operated Palm Shadows apartments, according to Raymond Woosley, vice president of health sciences.

Some student witnesses were taken to the "Swede" Johnson building for counseling so they could contact family and friends. By 5 p.m., 15 of the student witnesses remained there.

President Pete Likins said the psychological wounds torn by the shooting would not heal soon, and he said, "I think people are still in shock. The entire campus community is going to be traumatized for some time,".

About 100 people gathered for a candlelight vigil at the university Monday night.

Flores had previously raised concerns about his state. Two professors from the College of Nursing filed a report to the University of Arizona Police Department concerning Flores in April 2001. Melissa Goldsmith, a clinical instructor in nursing, and Pamela Reed, an associate dean of academic affairs in the college, filed the report. The report stated that Flores had thought about "ending it all" and may try to "put something under the college." UAPD attempted to call Flores about the report at the time, but could not reach him. Reed said she would monitor Flores and report further incidents. UAPD Cmdr. Brian Seastone said, "We review all reports. Some people don't want to do anything. They just document it,".

UAPD also consulted with the dean of students after the report was filed.

Neighbors described Flores as pleasant, while some students felt he was "strange" and recalled that he bragged about having a concealed weapons permit and asked inappropriate questions.

Timeline

• 8:30 a.m. — Robert Stewart Flores Jr. entered the College of Nursing with five guns, proceeded to the second-floor office of Assistant Nursing Professor Robin Rogers, and killed her.
• 8:35 a.m. — Flores arrived at a fourth-floor classroom and killed Barbara Monroe and Cheryl McGaffic; he released the students and committed suicide shortly thereafter.
• 8:37 a.m. — A student in an adjacent classroom called 911.
• 8:40 a.m. — UA police officers arrived at the College of Nursing.
• 8:46 a.m. — 33 Tucson Police Department officers training at Himmel Park responded.
• 8:54 a.m. — Flores was confirmed dead on the fourth floor.

Other details

Flores mailed the Arizona Daily Star a 22-page suicide letter, which was received yesterday, KVOA Channel 4 reported last night. The beginning of the letter read, "Greetings from the dead."

Robert S. Flores Jr. wrote, "You have received this letter after a rather horrendous event," and later wrote, "I guess what it is about is that it is a reckoning," and "A settling of accounts. The university is filled with too many people who are filled with hubris. They feel untouchable."

The letter ended with, "As the curtain closes I will exit the stage for a well deserved rest."

Police said Wednesday they had no reason to doubt its authenticity. The Arizona Daily Star said it received the letter Tuesday night, and police said the newspaper received the letter after the murders and suicide.

The newspaper said the letter was postmarked Monday and was accompanied by college transcripts, military evaluations, recommendations from employers, and two birthday cards.

Flores wrote, "I am rational," and "I understand that I have committed homicide and that I have broken the laws of our society. I will save the taxpayers money and take care of the problem. I realize that I am depressed but even with treatment it will not change my future. People will want to know why I did this? Why the innocent lives? "

He wrote, "To the sociologist, it wasn't the Maryland sniper. I have been thinking about this for a while. To the psychiatrist, it's not about unresolved childhood issues. It is not about anger because I don't feel anything right now,".

The letter described him as increasingly hopeless with financial and health problems. He wrote, "I am tired, tired and weary," and "Rather than spend the next month or two selling what little I have I am going to end it now."

The case narrative included statements about anger and fear held by victims before the shootings. Assistant professor Robin Rogers expressed fears about Flores when he failed her class last semester. Nursing professor Joann Glittenberg said Rogers voiced her concerns at a church service at Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church last Saturday night and asked church members to pray for her to be protected from Flores.

Robin Rogers’s husband, Phillip Rogers, recalled that she had anxiety about Flores during the term. He said, "She had him last semester and she expressed concerns then," and "And this year, when he failed the critical care course, she had concerns · She was concerned that he might act out in some way; but she didn't have any fear or premonition that he would do something this drastic."

Clinical associate professor Cheryl McGaffic also feared Flores and was concerned about his well being and her own. Linda Maerz said she was speaking on behalf of Walter McGaffic, husband of Cheryl McGaffic. Maerz said Cheryl McGaffic had told her husband that she was scared of Flores within the last six months and that she said he was arrogant and intimidating and often made rude interruptions during class. Maerz said, "And how angry he was is what made her afraid,".

Maerz also said many acquaintances were aware of McGaffic’s concerns and that it was not clear whether she took any action. Glittenberg said, "(McGaffic) was particularly concerned about Robert. (All three victims) were, and had tried to help him at some point · How public they made their concerns, I don't know,".

University police chief Anthony Daykin said, "Mr. Flores ... conveyed to staff that he was depressed, that he was thinking of ending it all, and that he might take some actions against the College of Medicine,".

At the time of the shooting, Witnesses reported that Flores called out, "Cheryl McGaffic, I'm going to give you a lesson in spirituality," and that he asked Monroe, "Are you ready to meet your maker?" and she replied, "Yes,". Johnson said, "He asked her if she was ready to meet her maker. She said 'Yes,' and then he shot her once and then twice more,". Johnson also said, "After the pause, Flores called out for two of his friends ÷ who he called "Jules" and "Lisa" ÷ to stand up and leave," and described his tone as "planned" and "extremely calm."

Tucson police Chief Richard Miranda said, "He did not target the students; he let some of them go,". He also said, "I can't even say what's key (to the investigation) right now. It seems there were many issues in his life."

Miranda said, "He was carrying five handguns and between 200 and 250 rounds of ammunition at the time of the shooting." He also said Flores had no grudge against fellow nursing students and that the victims were premeditated.

Tucson police Chief Richard Miranda said, "Mr. Flores went in there to create a holy hell for our community," and, "I can't imagine what the building would look like if he didn't have a sudden change of mind."

Student Gena Johnson told CBS News Early Show anchor Harry Smith, "We were all just in complete in shock," and, "We were under our desks and we didn't know what to do. There wasn't a peep in the room. "He excused two students by name and then we figured, OK, well, he's excused them so the rest of us are not going to make it."