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Man who FSU gunman sent package before shooting: ‘I went to sleep and woke up to tragedy’

Posted at 11:53 AM, Nov 21, 2014
and last updated 2014-11-21 11:57:45-05

The man identified as the gunman who wounded three people at Florida State University’s library apparently sent packages to several acquaintances before the shooting, according to one of them.

What’s inside the U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail envelopes is a mystery, said Joe Paul, who said he was among a group of nine people suspected shooter Myron May requested mailing addresses from in a November 15 Facebook message.

“I really thought it was a wedding invitation or something,” the Washington, D.C. resident told CNN. “On Wednesday at 953 [p.m.] he said y’all should receive your packages Friday. Then I went to sleep and woke up to tragedy.”

Police say May fired shots in FSU’s Strozier Library around 12:30 a.m. Thursday, wounding three of the 300 or 400 students inside — one of them critically.

Cell phone video posted online captured the moments following the shooting, in which students huddled inside the packed library.

Officers who encountered him outside shot him when he refused to drop his weapon.

“The suspect did not comply with the commands, and actually shot at one of the officers,” Tallahassee police spokesman David Northway said. “They returned fire, and the subject was killed.”

Two of the students wounded in the shooting were hospitalized Thursday at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, one in critical condition, according to the hospital. The third shooting victim, who was grazed by a bullet, was treated at the scene and not hospitalized.

The package from May appears to be contained in a standard Postal Service Priority Mail envelope, based on a photograph Paul said May sent him as confirmation of its delivery.

It’s scheduled to arrive Friday, Paul said. But he is traveling and will not be home.

He has called FSU and Tallahassee police about the package, but does not know what will happen to it.

“One of two things will happen,” he said. “It will be there when I get back or someone said the FBI or police may intercept it.”

Tallahassee police did not return telephone calls or emails Friday seeking comment on the packages.

DeLeo, did however, tell reporters Thursday that May had a journal and videos in which he “expressed fears of being targeted and that he wanted to bring attention to this issue of targeting.”

A preliminary review of these documents and videos demonstrate that Mr. May was in a state of crisis,” DeLeo said.

In September, May called police in Las Cruces, New Mexico, convinced someone had placed cameras in his apartment and complaining that he was hearing voices through the walls, according to an incident report provided by the department.

A month later, his ex-girlfriend called police, saying May believed “the police are after him and are bugging his phone and car,” according to another incident report.

May worked briefly as a felony prosecutor in Dona Ana, New Mexico, according to District Attorney Mark D’Antonio.

“He did his job with distinction and honor,” D’Antonio said Thursday.

He abruptly resigned on October 16 in a letter that made no mention of any troubles, according to D’Antonio.

Paul, who knew May from their days at FSU and had kept in touch over Facebook, said he doesn’t think May would want to hurt him. He hopes what’s inside the package will shed some light on what happened.

“I hope it’s the answer to why,” Paul said.