Scott Beierle, who shot six people, killing two of them, in a Tallahassee, Florida, yoga studio on Nov. 2, 2018, had a history of misogyny, according to a report released this month by the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC).
Beierle posed as a student at the Hot Yoga Tallahassee studio before opening fire with a Glock pistol and killing Dr. Nancy Van Vessem, 61, and Maura Binkley, 21.
Van Vessem was chief medical director for Capital Health Plan. Binkley was a student at Florida State University.
Beierle killed himself immediately after shooting six of the 10 people in the yoga studio.
The report found that shooter's motivation was related to “misogynistic extremism” and “male supremacy.”
The report stated: “The attacker was motivated to carry out violence by his inability to develop or maintain relationships with women, along with his perception of women’s societal power over men.”
The report notes that the shooter arrived early to the yoga class and appearing disappointed that the class had few participants, asked a studio employee which of the studio’s classes might have more people in them, that studio employees later told officials.
In describing the actual shooting, the report stated that the shooter went in and out of the studio several times, entering the last time at 5:29 p.m.
According to the report: “By 5:35 p.m., the class was already underway. The yoga instructor directed SB to remove his shoes and socks, and to leave his belongs in a cubby outside the room. SB exited the room to unwrap his yoga mat and begin stretching. He then reentered, stopped in the doorway, and said, ‘But I have a question.’ He then put on his hearing protection and drew the Glock pistol. The instructor asked what he was doing as SB opened fire at random.”
Beierle shot six people before his Glock malfunctioned. A class member struck him with a vacuum cleaner and a broom, allowing others to escape. The shooter then got his weapon to work again and shot himself.
Beierle had been banned from various gyms, bars and universities for his behavior toward women, according to the report. He had been in the U.S. Army but was discharged in 2010 when the Army officials found him guilty of “conduct unbecoming an officer” due to “inappropriate contact with female soldiers.” He worked at multiple school districts where he was fired for touching female students and fired from at least one for surfing porn sites that involved yoga and cheerleaders on school computers. He was arrested three times for groping women and trespassing, including once at the Florida State campus gym.
“The Hot Yoga Tallahassee case study demonstrates the opportunities that exist to prevent targeted violence while drawing particular focus to the risk posed by misogynistic extremism,” the report stated.
The NATC was established as a component of the Secret Service to provide research and guidance in direct support of the Secret Service’s protective mission and to others with public safety responsibilities.