Six weeks after the deadly bombing spree by 23-year-old Mark Conditt in Austin and San Antonio, police are still searching for clues as to the motivation for his actions.
New evidence suggests it’s possible internalized homophobia may have played a part.
Conditt’s early life revolved around being home-schooled by his conservative Christian family. He attended church each week and took part in Christian youth groups.
In 2012, Conditt penned an online essay while attending Austin Community College that denounced homosexuality.
The blog post read, in part:
Homosexuality is not natural. Just look at the male and female bodies. They are obviously designed to couple. The natural design is apparent. It is not natural to couple male with male and female with female. It would be like trying to fit two screws together and to nuts together and then say, “See, it’s natural for them to go together.” In addition, political protection of a sexual practice is ludicrous. I do not believe it is proper to pass laws stating that homosexuals have ‘rights.’ What about pedophilia or bestiality? These are sexual practices. Should they also be protected by law? If homosexuality is protected by law, why not those as well?
It was around this time that Conditt also cut off a childhood friend, Sierra Jane Davis, whom he knew from the Pflugerville home-school community.
When she shared the news that she was transitioning, “He told me that he couldn’t support my decision to live this life,” said Davis.
But it seems there was a turning point for Conditt.
He ceased attending church, quit Christianity and announced he was an atheist.
According to the Austin American-Statesman, Conditt’s two roommates thought he might have been gay.
It was that revelation that led police to discover he had used Grindr to exchange messages with men.
It’s not apparent if his family knew he was out. When asked about the possibility, Davis says, “It’s not something we talked about, but I do know that it would have been difficult for him and his family.”
Currently there’s no proof that he was working with a terrorist or paramilitary organizations. Nor are there any white supremacist or racially-motivated clues to point to at this time.
