Sylvia Seegrist was 25 years old and had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia ten years earlier.
16 Facts About Sylvia Seegrist
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Sylvia Seegrist was first hospitalized at the age of sixteen, and was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
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Sylvia Seegrist was hospitalized a dozen times and, upon each discharge, psychiatrists diagnosed that she no longer posed a risk to herself or others.
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When she was of age, Sylvia Seegrist attempted to enlist in the US Army.
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Sylvia Seegrist spent a good deal of time at the Springfield Mall, harassing customers and making statements about how "good" other spree killings were, such as the 1984 San Ysidro McDonald's massacre.
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Sylvia Seegrist was discharged from the Army after two months because of her unusual behavior, which included sitting fully dressed in green fatigues at the spa and sauna of her fitness club.
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Sylvia Seegrist's behavior was so disconcerting that clerks at a local K-Mart told her they had no rifles in stock when she tried to purchase one from them.
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Sylvia Seegrist then worked out at a fitness club, before returning to the mall for the last time.
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Sylvia Seegrist alighted from her vehicle, a Datsun B-210, retrieved the weapon she had purchased, and then fired at a man approximately 30 yards from where she stood.
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Meanwhile, Sylvia Seegrist had approached the nearest entrance and fired at, but missed, a woman who was using a nearby ATM.
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Once inside, Sylvia Seegrist fired into some stores and ignored others.
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On March 6,1986, Sylvia Seegrist was deemed competent to stand trial for the killings.
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The judge had said that Sylvia Seegrist "should spend the rest of her life in some form of incarceration".
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Sylvia Seegrist's actions helped spur the state government to form a legislative task force, in order to address better ways to care for the mentally ill in the community.
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Sylvia Seegrist's mother urged legislators to make changes to the state mental health laws.
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Sylvia Seegrist's mother is not sure what medication she is taking now, but around 1997, Sylvia made a decision to stop any contact with her family members.