The investigation into the deaths of four people in Butler Township on Friday continues. The alleged shooter uploaded a rambling video to the Internet before the shooting explaining some of his beliefs.
Stephen Marlow is accused of killing four people in Butler Township.
In a video he shot and uploaded before the shootings, he talked about mind control and telepathy. He said that he wanted to "help other targeted individuals” who were victims of mind control. These beliefs are called "gang-stalking."
Experts say individuals who believe in gang-stalking are usually suffering from mental illness. They believe that things in ordinary life – cars of the same color driving by, helicopters and planes flying over your house – are all part of a conspiracy.
Dr. Christine Sarteschi is an associate professor of social work and criminology at Chatham University in Pittsburgh.
'It seems like that all the things that happen in their lives, they believe has to do with gangstalking in some type of way," Dr. Sarteschi said. "You know, someone goes to work and they see somebody who they don't recognize in their workplace and that was somebody who was sent to harm them."
They also said the vast majority of people who have these beliefs are not dangerous.
"A targeted individual believes that people so more than one person, usually a group or some sometimes like a government agency or a group of them, are targeting them in particular." Dr. Sarteschi said. "So they feel very targeted."
The alleged shooter was arrested in Kansas over the weekend. He is expected to be extradited to Ohio in the coming days.
