Mark Anthony Stroman

Mark Anthony Stroman (October 13, 1969 – July 20, 2011) was an American neo-Nazi and spree killer who was executed in Texas for murder. In 2001, Stroman carried out a shooting spree in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, killing two people and seriously injuring a third. His motive for the shooting spree was "revenge" for the September 11 attacks, as he specifically targeted Arabs or people who looked "of Muslim descent." However, his victims were all from South Asia, with one of the two murder victims being Hindu.

Early life

Mark Anthony Stroman was born on October 13, 1969, in Dallas, Texas. He was allegedly abused as a child by his stepfather. According to a documentary film about his life, Stroman got married at 15 and had children shortly after. He identified as a white supremacist and was a member of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas. Just prior to his shooting spree, he was free on bond for a gun possession arrest. Stroman had several previous convictions for burglary, credit card fraud, robbery, and theft. He served at least two prison terms and had been paroled twice. His juvenile record showed he was involved in an armed robbery at the age of 12. He was covered in tattoos featuring Nazi and KKK images.

Shooting spree

On September 15, 2001, Stroman walked into a Pleasant Grove convenience store in Dallas, Texas, called Mom's Grocery. He encountered 46-year-old Waqar Hasan, a Muslim Pakistani immigrant who owned the store and had moved to the area that same year. As Hasan grilled hamburgers, Stroman fatally shot Hasan in the head and fled the store.