What Could Have Been Hennard’s Motive
At that time, George Hennard was an unemployed man who had been dismissed from Merchant Marine for possession of marijuana. Folks who knew Hennard described him as withdrawn, aggressive, easily angered. Several reports included accounts of Hennard’s expressed hatred of women. Early on in the investigation of the shooting, it was also found that Hennard had stalked two sisters who were residents in his neighborhood before the incident.
Texas Governor Ann Richards mourns the victims killed by George J. Hennard during a memorial service. — Photo by Bob Daemmrich/Corbis Sygma (Photo by Bob E. Daemmrich/Sygma/Sygma via Getty Images)
One of his former roommates was quoted saying, “Hennard hated blacks, Hispanics, gays. He said women were snakes and always had derogatory remarks about them, especially after fights with his mother.” Survivors from Luby’s Cafeteria said Hennard had passed over men to shoot women. Out of the 23 people Hennard killed, 14 were women, as were many of the injured victims.