1969 Pennsylvania Turnpike shooting
On April 5, 1969 Donald Martin Lambright, son of comedian Stepin Fetchit, killed 4, including himself and his wife, and injured 15 while driving and occasionally stopping along the Pennsylvania Turnpike east of Harrisburg, PA.[1]
| 1969 Pennsylvania Turnpike shooting[1] | ||
|---|---|---|
 Pennsylvania Turnpike
| ||
| Location | Pennsylvania Turnpike (East of Harrisburg), U.S. | |
| Coordinates | 40.129845°N 75.791428°W | |
| Date | April 5, 1969 c. 10:00 a.m. (EST) | |
Attack type | Spree shooting | |
| Weapon | M1 carbine Marlin 336 .30-caliber carbine | |
| Deaths | 4 (including the perpetrator) | |
| Injured | 15[2] | |
| Perpetrator | Donald Martin Lambright | |
Victims
Traveling in the same car was the Keenan family:[1]
- Ignatius Keenan, dead
- Ruby Keenan, dead
- Paul Keenan, injured
Critically injured:
- Vincent Saitta
- Ernest R. Stephens
Traveling in the same car were the shooter and his wife[1]
- Donald Martin Lambright, the shooter, committed suicide
- Annette Lambright, wife of Donald Martin Lambright, dead[2]
Early life and background
Donald Martin Lambright who grew up in New York City and Cleveland was the son of comedian Stepin Fetchit[1]. A child of divorce he took the name of his stepfather, Dr Middleton H Lambright[1] a thoracic surgeon in Cleveland OH. He studied political science at Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) in Oxford Pa. USA after being discharged from the US Air Force in 1961.[1] Just before the shooting he quit his job at the Ohio state employment office in Cleveland.[1]
See also
- Midland–Odessa shooting, also a shooting that occurred along a highway
- 2016 shooting of Dallas police officers, also a shooting possibly motivated by the treatment of African Americans.
References
- "Pike Killer Felt Violence Only Racial Answer: Black Militant Kills 3, Including His Wife, Then Commits Suicide". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Final City ed.). Associated Press. April 7, 1969. p. 1. ISSN 1068-624X. Retrieved September 7, 2019 – via Google News Archive Search.
- "Son of Stepin Fetchit: Sniper Killer of 3 Termed 'Black Man with No Hope...'". The Desert Sun. Palm Springs, California. United Press International. April 7, 1969. p. 4. OCLC 26432381. Retrieved September 7, 2019 – via California Digital Newspaper Collection.