Jake Davison: From Incel to Murder

 (Warning: Strong languages and graphic description ahead)

 

            With the immortal words of Carl Johnson from the game GTA: San Andreas, "Oh shit, here we go again", we dive head-first (again) into the world of the involuntarily celibate. It is a bottomless pit to explore, especially with the members of this particular sub-culture is basically men who has little or no care of their appearance or social cues, desperate for some good times with some girls that are way out of their league. This time, it's about another deranged unsub (thanks, Criminal Minds) who resented his life, his sexlessness and his lack of romantic attraction, to the point of lashing out onto the world, even dared to hurt his own mother.

 

            The story is set in Keyham, Plymouth, Devon County, England. The unsub in question was Jake Davison. His exact birthdate is unknown, but by the time of the shooting, he was 22 years old. He was the youngest of three from Mark and Maxine Davison, previously settled in Shetland Islands, just outside of mainland Scotland. His parents were poor, and his dad was arguably the worst of all. He was known as an antisocial fisherman with the tendency of violence and struggled with alcohol abuse. He has two siblings, Zoe, and Josh, but with Mark's alcohol problems, tensions are often unavoidable, and by the time Maxine fell pregnant with Jake, they left the island and moved back to Keyham. He was a quiet kid, but apparently had developed anger issues. He then diagnosed with ADHD and autism and attended Mount Tamar School for special needs children. The school is a public-funded, but was severely underfunded and consequently, the school's reputation was not very good. Jake was a quiet kid at school who didn't get along well with his peers. He wasn't necessarily a bad kid, though. He was described by his neighbors as a "pleasant kid", and often seen helping his mom with groceries. 

 

            As like other teenagers at the time, Jake wanted to lose his virginity, but due to his autism diagnosis, struggled to even socialize in person, much less finding a possible romantic partners. But as with other subjects of the incel world, he was active on online forums and video games. As an outlet to vent on his loneliness, he documented his personal thoughts and views on his YouTube channel with the name of Professor Waffle. In one of the videos on the channel, he often blamed his mental barrier (that being his autism) as an excuse of his inability to secure a girlfriend. He also blamed his appearance, commenting that he was "fat as fuck". His personality shift happened way before that. In 2016, when he was 17 years old, he once attacked a 25-year-old man while accompanying his pregnant girlfriend. He allegedly punched the man almost 20 times unprovoked while they were walking around the local neighborhood. Jake was warned by the police but didn't escalate into a prosecution due to the lack of evidence. He would also argue with his mother, who just wanted him to get the help that he needed. This also exasperated by the fact that when he turned 18, his mother lost her government funds to support their economics. From then on, he found work as a scaffolder, but his hatred towards his mother would only grow bigger.

 

            As I said earlier, he was active on online forums and his YouTube channel. He would often complain about his encounters with women, not just about his own mother. He would complain about women being simple-minded and only cared about money. He was a nihilist and a proud misogynist. He would also share his blatant homophobic views on Reddit, as well as other subreddits dedicated to either the involuntary celibacy movement or the nihilism subreddit, like r/doomer. Davison presented the classic characteristics of an incel, such as his sense of entitlement to women and sex, and also his resentment towards the more attractive men who could effortlessly get women to do the nasty together. This is known as the "black pill" ideology, where in order for someone to successfully settle for a partner, he must be physically attractive or economically stable (or in this case, being a filthy rich person akin to the members of the Royal Family). 

 

            Strangely enough, in 2017, he applied for a gun license. When it comes to gun control laws, the United Kingdom has a fairly strict laws that dictates for those who want to apply for a gun ownership must state that they must be judged not to pose a threat for safety and has a fair reason for owning one. Radically different than those in the United States, which thanks to the Second Amendment of the US Constitution, permitted their citizens to purchase and own their own guns freely as well as establishing a "well-regulated militia", with laws about carrying those guns dictated by individual states. Weirdly enough, despite his circumstances, he was approved to own a firearm, and subsequently purchased a pump-action shotgun. If that weapon was a simple handgun or a rifle of some sort, it would be understandable, at least for the Englishmen standards.

 

            For years, Jake's dramatic personality shift sparked concerns on his family, particularly Maxine and freshly out-of-the-prison Mark, who has since reformed. Then 2020 happened, the world went into lockdown, and NHS was overrun, understaffed, and underfunded. At this point, mental health care was deemed almost impossible. Maxine even resorted to call the police to do a welfare check on Jake but was met with deaf ears. In December 2020, he was involved in a fight with two teenagers that turned so volatile, it resulted in his gun license revoked, and his shotgun taken away. His previous offence being unrecorded and registered, means that his gun ownership would be instated, if he attended anger management class, which he completed in July 2021. This was a disastrous decision on their part, that would set up the horrific events just one month later.

 

            The date was 12 August 2021. Keyham was enjoying warm summer weather, but not for one Jake Davison. He himself was a ticking time bomb at that point. His rage was at his peak, and he just got his shotgun returned. His reddit account was suspended just one day prior due to his inappropriate remarks on a 16-year-old American girl on an online gun forum. He had his usual argument with his mother, before storming back into his room, burst into Maxine's room, and shot her at point blank range twice, each shot targeted the chest and head. She died instantly. Without remorse or any slight thought of compassion, he reloaded his shotgun, and exited his home, and found 43-year-old Lee Martyn and his adopted daughter, 3-year-old Sophie. With his sight set on the father-daughter duo, Davison opened fire, killed both of them. At this point, the shotgun shots were so loud, multiple police calls were made on Biddick Drive, Jake's home neighborhood. He continued down the neighborhood, and locked eyes with Ben Parsonage and his mother Michelle, 53 and 33 respectively. They were struck, but manage to drag themselves into safety, and subsequently survived the ordeal. He then turned into the local park, and shot another unsuspecting victim, 59-year-old Stephen Washington. He then continued his rampage, shooting at random directions without any care in the world. His last victim was 66-year-old Kate Shepherd, who was fatally wounded in front of her own salon. Sensing that police were on his heels, and also the thought of no longer living his life as a free man, he encountered a bystander, said the words "there is nothing to worry about, mate", before turning the gun on his head, and pulled the trigger, having stolen 5 innocent souls and cowardly taking his own as well. The rampage lasted for 6 minutes, and left a devastating aftermath to Keyham, and to the county of Devon as well. 

 

            The wake of this incident sparked a massive reform to the UK's gun control laws. On 15 August 2021, the British government announced that it would issue guidance to require police to investigate social media posts of firearms license applicants and current holders. Before the new guidance is published, the Home Office asked all police services in England and Wales immediately "to review their practices and whether any existing licenses need to be looked at again". The two officers who handled Jake's reinstatement of his license were disciplined, and the police issued new guidance on applicants with history of mental illness. In remembrance of the 5 lost lives, an evening vigil was held on 13 August at North Down Crescent Park in Keyham. Flags in the city were flown at half-mast, and Smeaton's Tower was lit up that evening as a mark of respect.

 

            This case, at least at the surface, was like a typical incel rampage, with one man who is frustrated to the world who turned their backs against him, unleash rampage in the name of sexual desire, Having little to no conscience of their actions. But what lies beneath is despite the excellent services, the NHS was lacking the mental health department. It would take forever to someone to be noticed, and by the time that chance came, it was almost all too late. For those 5 innocent lives snatched from the rampage, rest in eternal peace. And Jake Davison, I hope you rot in the deepest pits of hell, sucking the biggest devil dicks imaginable. A coward killer incel belongs to a special place in the very depths of hell.

The Beast of Gevaudan: A True French Terror

 (Warning: Graphic description ahead)

 

"To the father and the son

Came the beast of Gevaudan

Terminator, a traitor, half wolf, and half machine

To the prior and the nun

Came the beast of Gevaudan

A redeemer, believer of fatal, mad, and mean

Beast of Gevaudan!"

 

-"Beast of Gevaudan", performed by Powerwolf, 2021.

 

            Yeah, I know. I only found out about this beast from a Powerwolf song, talking about a wolf-like beast, subsequently known as la bête du Gevaudan (the beast of Gevaudan), that terrorized an ancient region of Gevaudan in France between 1764 and 1767, but aside from the song, the beast itself was known for its cruel method of killing, by ripping out their throats, and in some cases, also decapitated. There are many interpretations about the existence of this beast. One of which being about how the beast was sent as an act of God to punish sinners in the area. 

 

            There are many descriptions about this beast, many of them are exaggerated due to the mass hysteria caused by the killings. But general description of the beast was a wolf-like canine with a tall, lean frame capable of taking great strides. Other descriptions being it has the size of a horse, has elongated head with flattened snout, pointed ears, and a wide mouth sitting atop of a broad chest. Some even said that the beast had the capability to speak like humans do, but this is heavily disputed. 

 

            The first instance of the attack happened sometime on early summer of 1764, when it attacked a young woman named Marie Jeanne Valet whilst taking care of her cattle. The beast was about to attack her when her bulls charged forward, obstructing it. They then drove the beast off when it tried to attack again. Valet was lucky enough, but a 14-year-old shepherdess named Jeanne Boulet didn't share the same fate; she was the first recorded victim of the beast of Gevaudan. The attack occurred on 30th June 1764. During the remainder of the year, more attacks and killings are reported throughout the region, made worse by the fact that the beast often preyed on lone men, women and even children as they tended to their livestock in the forests. There are reports that stated that the beast targeted the neck and head area. The fact pretty much explained the state of the victims at the time of the discovery, with many of them have their throats destroyed, or even worse, decapitated. By the end of 1764, there are also speculation that there is more than one beast lurking around the area. This is due to the fact that there had been such high number of attacks in such short time span, and many attacks or reports that occurred happened almost simultaneously. On early 1765, The Kingdom of France was alerted of the attack after the beast attacked 10-year-old Jacques Portefaix and his seven friends, all aged between 8 to 12. They survived the attack, and subsequently caught the attention of King Louis XV, who then rewarded Portefaix and his friends for their bravery, and later promised that the state will help to eradicate the beast. By this point, the beast was known as la bête féroce (the ferocious beast). 

 

            The French crown then sent many hunters to kill the beast, who at that point, had a bounty of 6.000 French livre. The first was First captain Duhamel of the Clermont Price dragoons and his troops but was met with non-cooperative farmers and local herders. His strategy was awfully executed too. He organized a large hunting party to hunt for the wolf-like creature, but when chances presented itself, it was hindered by the incompetence of his guards. This prompted louis XV to send a father-son duo of Jean Charles Marc Antoine Vaumesle d'Enneval and Jean-François. Their tactics were radically different from the previous, by using stealth techniques to kill the beast. After the pair failed to capture the beast as the attacks continued, François Antoine was sent on Jun 1765 to continue the hunt. On the 21st of September, Antoine shot an unusually large wolf measuring 80 cm (31 in) high, 1.7 meter (5 ft 7 in) long, and weighing 60 kg (130 pounds). He hunted the rest of the pack, and returned to Paris a hero of France, receiving titles and large sums of money. They thought that the attacks were over, but on early December 1765, two boys were attacked, but survived the ordeal. This suggested that the wolf killed by Antoine months prior was not the beast of Gevaudan.

 

            The terrors eventually stopped on the 19th of June 1767, when a local hunter named Jean Chastel shot the beast on the slopes of Mont Mouchet (now la Sogne d'Auvers) during a hunt organized by a local nobleman, the Marquis d'Apchier. The body then was transferred to the castle to be examined, and upon being opened, the beast's stomach contents revealing the remains of its last victim. 

 

            When you look at this story, from the first attacks all the way to the last, you might think that this could came out of a science-fiction movie, but the attacks by the beast of Gevaudan were horrific, to the point that even the king of France had to interfere. Usually, I'm quite a fan of historical stories and mythologies, but this one is actually scaring me, not because of the fact that the beast has killed people, but by the method of the killings themselves. And as I said in the beginning, the German metal band Powerwolf introduced me to this legend with the song Beast of Gevaudan, depicting this beast as a divine intervention and an act of God to punish all the sinners in the ancient region of Gevaudan. Seriously, if you look up the lyrics of this song, you will find that this song is actually about the wolf doing the act of cleansing the world of the sinners. Although the story behind the song and the lyrics are quite grim, I actually liked the song itself. In the end, the story of the beast of Gevaudan served as a lesson to always be vigilant to your surroundings. You would never know who or what is coming after you.

Elizabeth II: The Everlasting Royal Legacy

    Well, they say that the inevitable will eventually come. We all anticipated this news from many years ago, yet when the bitter end comes, we are still in shock. Just this morning, 6 AM Jakarta time, I woke up to the news that the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom, Her Majesty the Queen, Elizabeth II passed away in her Scotland residence of Balmoral Castle at the age of 96 years, just seven months after celebrating her Platinum Jubilee, marked her 70th year as the monarch of Great Britain and the Commonwealth realms. It was also two days removed from greeting her 14th Prime Minister of Great Britain Liz Truss, who will instead become the first Prime Minister to serve under her son's reign, now known as His Majesty the King, Charles III. Official news from Buckingham Palace stated that she passed away peacefully surrounded by the Royal Family in Balmoral Castle on the 8th of September 2022 at 6.30 PM BST.

             As we remember the beloved queen, let's dissect her life, from her time in the royal family, her military service, until her eventual ascension to the British Throne. Her Majesty was born Elizabeth Alexandra May on the 21st of April 1926 in Mayfair, London, England, the eldest of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (Then known as the Duke and Duchess of York). She then assumed the title of Princess Elizabeth of York and was made the heir to the British Throne directly after George VI. At first, during the reign of her grandfather, King George V, she was third in line of succession, behind Edward VIII and her father. Had Edward married and had kids, she would be pushed further back. Then Edward assumed the throne in 1936 after her grandfather's death, and she became second in line. Then during the same year, Britain entered the constitutional crisis caused by Edward's abdication of the throne, due to him marrying Wallis Simpson, an American socialite who happened to be a divorcee. Technically speaking, if she had a brother, he would be the heir apparent, but since all she had as sibling was Princess Margaret, her younger sister, she became the heir presumptive. 

 

            When war came, most royal families would evacuate to somewhere safer. But during the events of World War II, Elizabeth and Margaret were to be evacuated as suggested by Lord Hailsham, but their mother outright rejected the idea, stating that the children will stay as long as the King stay. Interestingly enough, she served in the British Army during the struggle, served as a trained mechanic and driver and was given the rank of honorary junior commander. During her time in the Royal Family as Princess Elizabeth, she went to many countries, her first overseas tour occurred in 1947, accompanying her parents to southern Africa. One of the most memorable overseas visits that everyone will remember was when she was standing in for her father visiting US President Harry S. Truman in 1951. By that time, she was already married to her longtime husband, Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh. 

 

            Her marriage with Prince Phillip in and on itself, was also controversial. Although served in the Royal Navy and became a British subject in the process, Phillip was a foreign-born, formerly Prince Phillip of Greece and Denmark. He was also in no financial standing and had sister who had married German noblemen with links to the Nazi. Before marriage, he renounced his Greek and Danish titles, and converted to the Anglican branch of Christianity, which basically a variant of the Protestant Christianity. Their marriage lasted until Phillip's death on 9 April 2021 and had four children, His Majesty King Charles III, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex.

 

            In early 1952, The news of the death of George VI arrived just as Elizabeth and Phillip arrived in their Kenyan Home during their Australia-New Zealand Tour by the way of Kenya, with His Royal Highness Prince Phillip broke the news to the new monarch. As per tradition, whenever the sitting monarch passed away, their first in line of succession becomes the new monarch with immediate effect. She was 27 years of age when the her coronation ceremony occurred on the 2nd of June 1953 and witnessed many important events during her reign as the Queen of Great Britain and the leader of the Commonwealth. By this time, the Commonwealth had evolved to include 56 states, 15 of them are known as the Commonwealth Realms, where the head of state is the reigning monarch of The United Kingdom, which starting from this day onward, is King Charles III. In 1956, France was almost included in the Commonwealth, but instead signed the Treaty of Rome, which is the precursor to the European Union. She celebrated her Silver, Ruby, Golden, Diamond, and Platinum Jubilee, each marked her 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, and 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne. She also witnessed the rapid decolonization of former British colonial territories in the 60s and the 70s, as many countries moved towards self-governance. She was also the first British Monarch to visit a communist country in 1970 when she visited Yugoslavia and President Josip Broz Tito. 1992 was the year marked by the Queen as annus horribilis, or horrible year, as she witnessed the divorces of Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and then-Prince Charles from their spouses. There was also a rise of the Republican Movement in Britain, calling for a change in government from a monarchy to a republic with elected head of state. Her 70+ year reign was marked by various events in history, with the latest being the Covid pandemic, the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union, and the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

 

            When we look at the numbers during her reign as the Queen, Elizabeth II was perhaps the most well-known monarch in recent history. There are 14 prime ministers who served under her reign, most notably Winston Churchill, who was the last PM served under her father, Margaret Thatcher, a.k.a. The Iron Lady, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Theresa May, and the last under her reign and recently resigned Boris Johnson. Liz Truss was appointed Prime minister under her reign but will serve her post under King Charles III. With the United States, especially the presidents, 14 different presidents were elected at the same time as her reign. Her first meeting with Truman may be the first, but the meeting occurred while she was still Princess Elizabeth. Her first proper visit as Queen was when she visited President Dwight Eisenhower on October 1957. Then came Presidents John Kennedy, Richard Nixon, who apparently tried to set up his own daughter Tricia to marry Charles, Gerald Ford, whom she shared a dance with, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, who instantly bonded due to their shared hobby of horse riding, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George Bush, all the way to Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden. All of which has either visited her or she visit them personally. The only US president that the Queen never met was Lyndon Johnson, that honor instead went to Princess Margaret. Up until her passing, she exceeded her great-great-grandmother's record for the longest serving monarch in British history. For the record, Queen Victoria reigned for 63 years and 216 days. Her official time as the monarch clocked at 70 years and 214 days. It means that most of us are actually born under her reign. 

 

            For the next 12 days, Great Britain and the Commonwealth will enter a mourning period culminating to the royal funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. All sports, entertainment and comedy programs are banned during this period. King Charles III is also expected to tour the capitals of each home nations of Britain and will set up his coronation later down the road. For now, Operation London Bridge is in motion, and as the world gathers around in grief, we offer our greatest condolences to the royal family in the wake of the Queen's passing. She left a lasting legacy not only for Britain, but for the rest of the world. She will be missed, and may God provide a good health for the new king as he takes his rightful place to the throne of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and subsequently, the leader of the Commonwealth. Rest in peace, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and (I know I'm not British, but I'll say this anyway) God Save the King.