Maine shooting suspect posted sobbing Facebook video about ‘trauma’ hours before rampage
The man accused of going on a shooting rampage at a home and along an interstate in Maine appears to have posted a sobbing Facebook video speaking about his “trauma” and “being molested” just hours before the attack, The Independent can reveal.
Joseph Eaton, 34, shared an emotional video of himself online on Monday where he said that people think he is “just another f*** up” and complained about people who “claim to be Christian”.
In the footage, he is seen sitting in a car filming himself as he chokes up with tears and goes on a confusing ramble.
“I’m probably going to get emotional just talking about it,” he said.
“But a lot of people look at you and think ‘oh well there’s just another f*** up, another guy that can’t get his stuff together, treats people like s***’ and then they turn around and claim to be Christian.
“And you can’t forgive somebody or understand what they go through. You can’t give someone a second chance but you say you’re Christian. How does that make sense? Why can’t you just try to get to know the person again? What good’s it do to hate somebody? It destroys you.
“It’s not the way things were supposed to be done, the way things were made.”
Mr Eaton then went on to say he wants forgiveness for “the things I did” as he said he has had “trauma for a long time”.
“Just need to try to forgive me for the things I did. I’ve been dealing with trauma for a long time on things I don’t talk to people about – being molested and stuff it destroys somebody,” he said.
“I know I’m good for my kids. I just wish somebody would forgive me. Some people, I don’t get it.”
Hours after posting the video, Mr Eaton allegedly went on a shooting rampage across two locations in Maine on Tuesday.
Maine State Police said that officers were called to a house in Bowdoin on Tuesday to find four victims dead from gunshot wounds.
Not long after the grim discovery was made, an assailant opened fire on cars driving along Interstate 295 in nearby Yarmouth.
Three drivers were shot in the attack – with one of them now in critical condition.
The two incidents are believed to be connected and Mr Eaton was taken into custody by police.
He was charged with four counts of murder over the victims in the home and is being held at Two Bridges Regional Jail.
He will make an initial court appearance later in the week, police said.
None of the victims have been publicly identified and no motive has been given.
Property records seen by The Independent show that a woman who had commented on Mr Eaton’s Facebook posts in the past lived at the address where the four victims were found.
Police are planning to give an update on Wednesday.
“Investigators will be working throughout the night processing multiple scenes and continuing to interview people involved with this incident,” state police said.
