Joshua Davis Got A "Dark Feeling"; 2 Dead In Shooting Spree

**Dakota Valkyrie** · April 25th, 2012, 03:41 PM

I'm pretty sure this goes a bit beyond your typical pot smoker paranoia.

Three Polk State College students were shot – two fatally – Tuesday night as the gunman's 6-year-old daughter watched, officials said.

The suspect, Joshua Davis, 32, told investigators he and the three victims were smoking marijuana together and he shot them to protect his daughter, although police found no evidence the attack was provoked.

Joe S. Palacios and Christian Rodriguez, both 19, were killed, and Esteban Zavala, 19, was in serious but stable condition at Lakeland Regional Medical Center.

Polk State College President Eileen Holden called the shootings a "senseless act" during a Wednesday afternoon briefing on campus.
[...]

Davis told investigators the three victims were at his apartment and smoking marijuana, according to a police affidavit. The four were reportedly co-workers at a fast-food restaurant.

The four were sitting in the living room about 6:44 p.m. when Davis' daughter entered from her bedroom, according to the affidavit. Davis said his guests began acting strange and he got a "dark feeling," he told investigators.

"He felt they were sending signals to each other," the affidavit stated. "His daughter walked out and Rodriguez and Palacios said something in Spanish while looking at his daughter."

Davis told investigators he thought "something was about to happen" so he ran to his bedroom and retrieved his 9 mm semi-automatic handgun and began shooting at Zavala, Rodriguez and Palacios.

Zavala later told investigators that Davis "out of nowhere" ran into his bedroom and came out shooting.

Davis shot Rodriguez and Palacios in the head at close range to make sure they were dead," the affidavit said.

Davis and Zavala struggled until the gun was empty, and Davis then struck him with the gun, the affidavit said. Zavala fled the apartment as Davis retrieved knives from the kitchen to "finish off" Zavala, the affidavit said.
[...]

Davis told investigators he then checked his daughter for injuries, called his wife and began cleaning up the apartment before police arrived.

His daughter was not hurt and is staying with relatives, officials said.

http://www2.tbo.com/news/news/2012/a...ave-ar-396244/

**Abroad** · April 25th, 2012, 04:08 PM

Gotta wonder what they were actually saying to each other "in Spanish"......

As for Dad, well...... Protective is good; but you want to be around for your daughter, and this is not the way to achieve that.

**newstarshipsmell** · April 25th, 2012, 05:43 PM

Davis, of 63 E. Lake Howard Drive, was arrested Wednesday and faces two charges of first-degree murder, one charge of attempted murder and one charge of child abuse.

Davis told investigators he then checked his daughter for injuries, called his wife and began cleaning up the apartment before police arrived.

You mean, "cleaning up the evidence," right? No tampering charges. Maybe he meant picking up the cheetos his "friends" spilled while he was decorating the room with their brains?

**Dakota Valkyrie** · April 25th, 2012, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by newstarshipsmell

You mean, "cleaning up the evidence," right? No tampering charges. Maybe he meant picking up the cheetos his "friends" spilled while he was decorating the room with their brains?

ROFLMAO! Although I bet he was hiding his stash. Wouldn't want the wife pissed off that the cops took all the pot.

**darkthnker** · April 26th, 2012, 05:53 PM

This is a perfect example of why people should speak English.

**Dakota Valkyrie** · April 26th, 2012, 06:23 PM

Originally Posted by darkthnker

This is a perfect example of why people should speak English.

I suspect that even if they had been speaking English, Davis would have thought they were speaking in code words. Something along the lines of "Pass it to me" meaning his daughter and not the joint. The guy is a whackadoodle and already thought they were sending mysterious & suspicious signals to each other.

**Nell** · April 26th, 2012, 10:28 PM

Originally Posted by Abroad

Gotta wonder what they were actually saying to each other "in Spanish"......

As for Dad, well...... Protective is good; but you want to be around for your daughter, and this is not the way to achieve that.

They were probably upset or nervous that he was ok with letting his child wander into the front room while they were getting high. Sketchy ass motherfucker.

**Whisper** · April 27th, 2012, 09:01 PM

[...]
So, what caused this young man to snap?

The chief told reporters Wednesday that Davis was addicted to the video game, Battlefield 3 and played out violent scenarios non-stop.

Chief Hester said, "[Davis] told the detectives freely and talked very freely about playing that game on a daily basis and had some real enjoyment playing Battlefield 3."

Battlefield 3 is extremely realistic and intense, almost as if you're watching a movie. The graphics are sharp, crisp and clear. It is played from a point of view perspective.

It's a single-shooter game where the player goes on a war-like mission to kill people.

By his own admission, Davis described how he came out of the bedroom, almost as if he was acting out the game.

The chief added, "He proceeded down the hallway as he described it in a tactical or crouched position, as he advanced from the hallway, he began firing shots from the 9mm."

It happened inside a Winter Haven apartment, overlooking Lake Howard. The setting is peaceful and quiet, in sharp contrast to the shooting rampage that took place that fateful night.
Drops of blood remain on the outside steps after three Polk State students were shot Tuesday night. The trio had been friends for life.

Christian Rodriguez and Joe Palacios died side by side in the apartment after they were shot.

Their other friend, Estaban Zalvala, was able to get out after police say Davis ran out of ammo. A police officer found Zavala collapsed in the road.

10 News tried to speak with the girlfriend of Joshua Davis, who happens to be the mother of his little girl. The girlfriend told us, "No comment."

Why would Davis allegedly do this? Was he acting out a mission from his video game addiction?

Longtime local psychiatrist Dr. Walter Afield has treated more than 20 thousand patients in his career. He weiged in on the situation.

"It makes life and death mean nothing, just a spot on a video screen, you know, this guy comes out and blows these people away and his daughter sees it," he said.

Dr. Walter also says the addiction to violent video games is becoming more and more pervasive, that it desensitizes people to death and blurs the line between fiction and reality.
[...]
Estaban Zavala is still in the hospital recovering.

The families of Christian Rodriguez and Joe Palacios are planning funerals for their loved ones.

http://www.wtsp.com/news/article/253...-kill-students

**HeatherHabilatory** · April 27th, 2012, 10:23 PM

Oh please. He's a soul-less, murdering shitbag. He's a god damn adult. It's not like he's some impressionable little kid. (FWIW, I don't buy that garbage in kids, either.)

I will admit it probably made him a "better" killer.

**cubby** · April 28th, 2012, 12:20 AM

It was a choice he made of his own free will.

Poor little girl she'll be having nightmares about this forever.

**DamagedGoods** · April 28th, 2012, 01:50 AM

Dr. Walter also says the addiction to violent video games is becoming more and more pervasive, that it desensitizes people to death and blurs the line between fiction and reality.

If playing a war GAME can be used as a valid excuse for killing people, why don't more actual war veterans murder people?

I don't care HOW realistic a game is. I KNOW it's a game. Anyone who doesn't, came into it fucked up beyond repair. Sorry for the naive people who desperately want to believe there must be some simple explanation that can be easily blamed/fixed.

**Ninja0980** · April 28th, 2012, 07:58 AM

How about he's a cold blooded killer? The simple explanations are sometimes the best ones.

**DamagedGoods** · April 28th, 2012, 09:33 AM

Originally Posted by Ninja0980

How about he's a cold blooded killer? The simple explanations are sometimes the best ones.

To them, that isn't an explanation. They want to know what made him one. And apparently, video games make more sense than "He was born with more potential to murder than most."

**spinst** · April 28th, 2012, 01:38 PM

It was the pot! No, wait! It was the video games!

**Abroad** · April 29th, 2012, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by Nell

They were probably upset or nervous that he was ok with letting his child wander into the front room while they were getting high. Sketchy ass motherfucker.

Very possible.

I would hate for it to have been over something completely innocuous; but you just know it probably was.