KEENE, N.H. (AP) – The college student who shot a roommate before killing himself on May 4 was described as drunk and fired the gun deliberately, authorities said Wednesday.
Shortly before the shootings, Michael Dyke had pointed a BB gun at roommate Jason Lillibridge, who pushed the barrel away from him and then took the gun away, police and prosecutors said.
Dyke then got a rifle he then used to shoot Lillibridge in the buttocks before fatally shooting himself, they added.
Police Lt. Peter Thomas and County Attorney Peter Heed said they issued the statement to give the public more information about the tragedy, which happened on the last day of finals and two days before graduation. The statement “will not attempt to answer the question “why’ this incident occurred,” they said. They described relations among the roommates as amicable.
There has been speculation that Lillibridge was shot accidentally and controversy about whether a spat between Dyke and Lillibridge right before the shooting rose to the level of an argument.
The new information shows that Lillibridge and another roommate, Bryan Sevigny, were stunned by Dyke’s actions and tried to keep the situation from snowballing.
They said Dyke pointed the rifle at Lillibridge again after he fell to the floor wounded, and Lillibridge and Sevigny both “at attempted to assure Michael Dyke that everything was all right and not to shoot again. Michael Dyke reacted by aiming the weapon at himself.”
Lillibridge fled, and Dyke then aimed the rifle at Sevigny, but told him he did not want to shoot him, the statement said. Sevigny tried to calm Dyke and convinced him to go outside so he could see that Lillibridge “was not seriously hurt and all would be well.”
Outside, however, Dyke aimed the rifle at his own head and Sevigny talked him out of shooting himself, the statement said.
Authorities said Dyke, 21, left the off-campus apartment about 10 p.m. on May 3, saying he was going to a friend’s apartment. He was believed to have beer with him.
They said he returned shortly after midnight and sat down to watch television with Lillibridge and Sevigny. The statement said Dyke “was described as intoxicated.”
Dyke shot Lillibridge, who is recovering, about 12:30 a.m.
After not finding Lillibridge outside, Dyke and Sevigny returned to the apartment. Meantime, Lillibridge had called the police from a friend’s home. When police arrived, Sevigny told them Dyke was in his bedroom.
Three officers knocked on the door and tried to communicate with him, but got no response, according to the statement. The officers opened the door and one got a glimpse of Dyke, but could not tell if he still had the rifle. As the officer looked in and spoke to Dyke, Dyke shot and killed himself.
How much alcohol was in his system won’t be known until toxicology tests are completed.
AP-ES-05-09-07 1005EDT
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