Introduction
The Democratic-Republican National Convention is an annual event held in Miami, Florida. This year, convention organizers moved the First Amendment area to a vacant space north of the Arena, Bicentennial Park. The purpose of this area is to provide a close-up view of the arena for protesters from various groups wishing to hold a peaceful rally.
Expected protesters included Amnesty International, PETA, Greenpeace, and other civil society organizations. These groups planned to meet on Thursday, the fourth day of the convention, with an estimated attendance of about ten thousand people. The police agreed to allow the protesters to camp during the week-long stay as long as they behaved peacefully.
The event ran for a week with minimal problems. There were a few reports of vandalism and arrests, but nothing significant. On Friday morning, however, things took a grim turn. Several witnesses reported that the masked man was walking around with a huge knife, harming and beheading people.
Four civilian witnesses observed this estranged man, noting the blood on his body and the knife he carried. One witness said she heard screams and alerted her boyfriend, who witnessed the suspect cut open the tent, and more riots followed. When the suspect came out, blood was visible on his knife and shirt. Another witness described the suspect’s movements as robotic, slow, and methodical, wearing a mask. This witness also saw the suspect stab and decapitate the victim, comparing his behavior to that of a zombie.
When the Miami-Dade Police Department arrived on the scene, they were confronted by a white man with blood stains on his body, who was approaching the officer, holding a severed head in his hands. The officer called the suspect to stop and drop the knife, but he did not obey. As a result, the officer was forced to shoot twice at the intruder. Despite being wounded, the suspect continued to advance, causing the officer to fire another shot, aiming at the suspect’s head, eventually neutralizing the threat. As a result of the brawl, five victims were stabbed, and some of them were mutilated.
Suspect
The suspect was later identified as Lawrence Conyers, a twenty-five-year-old white male who received two gunshot wounds to the body and to the forehead. A wallet with money, a driver’s license, and various papers was found in his possession. Among those papers were a spare prescription for buspirone and five milligrams of Lamictal.
In addition, a handwritten drawing was found that repeated the words “Pigs will die” many times, as well as an image of a mask with the name “Father.” The drawing also featured a ghost face and other symbols, indicating a connection between the suspect and a group associated with harmful societal elements. The described events associated with the violent act of Lawrence Conyers in Bicentennial Park require a comprehensive analysis of his psychological profile. Through careful examination of testimonies, law enforcement reports, and available evidence, this psychological autopsy aims to shed light on Conyers’ potential personality disorders, health issues, psychopathologies, motives, and ideologies that contributed to his aggressive behavior.
Suspect’s Background
The path to violence is multifaceted, and no single factor can fully explain Lawrence’s actions. Understanding the early life and personal history of Lawrence Conyers provides valuable context for understanding the complex factors that contributed to his violent act. Lawrence was known early on to be a quiet and withdrawn child.
During adolescence, the suspect began showing signs of social anxiety and withdrew from social interactions. As an adult, Lawrence became involved in online communities and forums that promoted radical ideologies and extremist views. These virtual spaces provided an outlet for his anger and resentment.
Antisocial Personality Disorder
The observed behavior and characteristics of Lawrence Conyers are consistent with those commonly associated with antisocial personality disorder. This is one of the most socially dangerous mental disorders. People with this disorder can directly threaten social values through destructive behavior that has predominantly aggressive tendencies (Cohen et al., 2022).
In cognitive therapy, when describing antisocial disorder, much attention is paid to the behavioral component of this disorder, which includes criminal acts directed against the individual’s freedom in relation to other people. They usually need to confirm one’s rightness only by a subjective feeling of being right, and to devalue other people’s opinions if they do not coincide with one’s intentions (Black, 2022). Thus, the content of the cognitive distortions of an antisocial personality is to justify one’s actions with simple desires.
Usually, a person automatically adapts to society and its laws; however, with an antisocial disorder, such an ability to adapt is absent, and the person puts themselves in an anti-position and acts against society. People with this personality disorder often display reckless behavior, narcissism, and emotional shallowness (Reising et al., 2019). They tend to lack empathy and compassion, remain unaffected by the suffering of others, and show no remorse for causing harm (Alvarez & Bachman, 2021). This disregard for the welfare of others and the moral consequences of their actions can lead them to commit harmful acts without hesitation (Alvarez & Bachman, 2021). It is worth noting that often people with this personality disorder are involved in serious offenses, including acts of violence and even serial killings.
In the case under study, the suspect’s lack of remorse and the brutal nature of the harm done are consistent with behavioral characteristics often exhibited by people with antisocial personality disorder. The suspect continued their violent acts despite being ordered to stop, further heightening the potential impact of their mental makeup. Witness descriptions of the suspect as zombie-like or robotic are consistent with the emotional shallowness and lack of affect commonly seen in people with this personality disorder.
It is important to note that the suspect was in treatment; a prescription for drugs such as buspirone and lamictal was found in his wallet. Buspirone is a commonly prescribed drug used to relieve symptoms associated with anxiety disorders (Sinha, 2022). The drug acts on certain neurotransmitters in the brain, reducing tension, fear, irritability, and other physical manifestations of anxiety (Sinha, 2022).
Although buspirone is generally well-tolerated, it is essential to recognize that it can have side effects affecting a person’s cognitive and behavioral functions. Potential side effects from taking this drug may include impaired judgment or altered reactions to specific activities (Sinha, 2022). In addition, combining buspirone with alcohol may increase these side effects, resulting in increased alertness and behavioral changes (Sinha, 2022).
On the other hand, Lamictal is primarily prescribed both to delay episodes in people with bipolar disorder and to treat epileptic seizures in adults (Durbin, 2022). Like all medicines, Lamictal can cause side effects affecting cognition and behavior. When combined with other drugs or substances, the side effects of Lamictal may be increased, which may lead to further deterioration in cognitive abilities (Durbin, 2022).
Given the presence of buspirone and lamictal in the suspect’s supply of drugs, it is likely to investigate the potential impact of these drugs on Lawrence Conyers’ behavior during the act of violence. The interaction between these drugs, along with the potential effects of alcohol, may have impaired his cognitive function and decision-making. Impaired judgment, altered responses, and impaired emotional regulation are possible consequences of these interactions, which may have contributed to the suspect’s lack of empathy and emotional response, as described by witnesses.
Conclusion
Through a comprehensive examination of Lawrence Conyers’ biography, personal history, mental health, motivators, ideologies, and social influences, this psychological autopsy provides insight into the complex factors leading to his violent acts during the DRNC. The combination of drugs taken by Lawrence Conyers, including buspirone and Lamictal, along with the potential influence of external factors, could contribute to impaired judgment and behavioral changes during the act of violence. In addition, the suspect’s lack of empathy, emotional shallowness, and disregard for the welfare of others are consistent with characteristics associated with antisocial personality disorder. While these factors provide insight into the potential impact on a suspect’s behavior, it is essential to approach this analysis with caution, given the complex interplay of various factors that influence a person’s behavior. Understanding the multifaceted nature of his psychological profile, society can seek to prevent, intervene, and develop support systems to reduce the risk of such incidents.
References
Alvarez, A., & Bachman, R. (2021). Violence: The enduring problem. SAGE Publishing, Inc.
Black, D. W. (2022). Bad boys, bad men: Confronting antisocial personality disorder (sociopathy). Oxford University Press.
Cohen, B. M., Öngür, D., Babb, S. M., & Harris, P. Q. (2022). Diagnostic terms psychiatrists prefer to use for common psychotic and personality disorders. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 155, 226–231. Web.
Durbin, K. (2022). Lamictal uses, dosage & side effects. Drugs.com. Web.
Reising, K., Farrington, D. P., Ttofi, M. M., Piquero, A. R., & Coid, J. W. (2019). Childhood risk factors for personality disorder symptoms related to violence. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 49, 101315. Web.
Sinha, S. (2022). Buspirone: Uses, dosage, side effects. Drugs.com. Web.