Incident Summary:
1/18/1995: Paul James Priestley used a Molotov cocktail to set fire to store selling adult magazines in Grants Pass, Oregon, United States. The business was destroyed. Immediately following this incident, Priestley - armed with a shotgun and two pipe bombs - entered the nearby Lincoln Savage Middle School. Wielding his shotgun, Priestley threatened school officials and demanded a ride to an abortion clinic. He wanted to blow up a health care facility that performed abortions and kill a "couple of doctors." However, his demands were unheeded and, soon after, Priestley got into a scuffle with Damian McLean, the wrestling coach of the local high school. Priestley was shot and wounded in the hip with his own shotgun and subsequently apprehended by the police.
Overview
GTD ID:
199501180009
When:
1995-01-18
Country:
United States
Region:
North America
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Oregon
City:
Murphy
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Armed Assault |
Type of Attack () |
Bombing/Explosion |
Type of Attack () |
Facility/Infrastructure Attack |
Successful Attack? () |
No |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Abortion Related |
Name of Entity |
|
Specific Description |
Unspecified abortion clinic and physicians who perform abortions |
Nationality of Target |
United States |
Target Type: Business |
Name of Entity |
Store selling adult magazines in Grants Pass, Oregon |
Specific Description |
|
Nationality of Target |
United States |
Target Type: Educational Institution |
Name of Entity |
|
Specific Description |
Students and teachers at the Lincoln Savage Middle School |
Nationality of Target |
United States |
Additional Information
Hostages |
No |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Yes |
Extent of Property Damage |
Minor (likely < $1 million) |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Explosives |
Pipe Bomb |
Firearms |
Rifle/Shotgun (non-automatic) |
Incendiary |
Molotov Cocktail/Petrol Bomb |
Weapon Details |
Sawed-off shotgun, two pipe bombs, and a Molotov cocktail |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Additional Information |
The incident began at 1:00 PM. The motives behind the attack were not exactly clear, but authorities speculated that Priestley was planning to blow himself up at an abortion clinic "to make a statement with his own death." One year later, Priestley committed suicide in prison. |
Who
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name |
Claimed Responsibility |
Anti-Abortion extremists |
No |
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
1 |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
0 Fatalities / 1 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
0 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
1 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
1 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
1 |
Sources
Sources
Jeff Barnard, "Gunman Invades School," The Oregonian, January 20, 1995. |
"Abortion Protest May Be Motive In Rampage," Seattle Times, January 24, 1995. |
"Firebombing Suspect Plans Guilty Plea," Eugene Register-Guard, September 13, 1995. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties