The man who allegedly killed four people and wounded one other in Florida on Sunday said he believed he was on a mission from God to save an imaginary girl from sex traffickers, authorities said Thursday.
Brian Riley, the 33-year-old alleged shooter and ex-Marine, went to the victims’ residence because he said he received a message from God to save a young girl, investigators said.
“God told me to kill everyone and rescue Amber because she is a victim of sex trafficking,” he reportedly told authorities.
FLORIDA SHERIFF CALLS SHOOTING SUSPECT A ‘COWARD’ AFTER ARRESTING HIM
Riley spoke with one of the victims, Justice Gleason, before the shooting occurred outside the residence, according to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. He then said God told him Gleason’s daughter “Amber” would kill herself, Judd added, citing a witness.
Gleason, 40, replied there was no “Amber” and that he would call the authorities, to which Riley allegedly replied, “No need to call the cops, I’m the cops for God,” and left.
“There were no victims of sex crimes in that house,” Judd said.
Riley allegedly returned Sunday morning, shot out the windows, and entered the apartment from the back. Once inside, he killed his victim, a 62-year-old woman, police said.
“He shot an entire magazine into the victim,” the sheriff said.
He allegedly shot out the windows of the primary residence to gain entry.
There, he shot the family dog, Gleason, Gleason’s partner, and the 3-month-old infant his partner was holding, Judd said.
They had been hiding in a locked bathroom, but Riley shot through the door, according to authorities.
Moving through the residence, Riley came across an 11-year-old girl, who was the only survivor of the encounter, Judd said.
He repeatedly asked the young girl where “Amber” was and shot the girl every time she said she didn’t know, according to authorities.
“I tortured her in order to investigate, in order to find Amber,” Judd said Riley told police.
Riley then reportedly told Gleason’s daughter why he murdered her family.
“Do you know why I killed your parents?” Judd said Riley told the young girl. “They’re sex traffickers.”
She was shot seven times and survived by playing dead and praying, authorities said.
Riley was taken into custody following his surrender to police after he reportedly engaged in a shootout. He later confessed at a hospital, Judd said.
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“He was a coward, an absolute coward. He looks like a man, but he’s not a man. He’s a sniveling coward,” he said. “He was a bad dude when he went into this house and shot and killed a 3-month-old baby in its mother’s arms.”
