On November 2, 2018, a mass shooting occurred at Tallahassee Hot Yoga, a yoga studio located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. Scott Paul Beierle shot six women, two fatally, and pistol-whipped a man before killing himself.[2]
Beierle entered the hot yoga studio at 5:37 p.m. EDT on November 2, 2018, shooting six people, resulting in the deaths of two women, Maura Binkley, 21, and Dr. Nancy Van Vessem, 61.[2] Officers responded to reports of gunfire within three and a half minutes and found the perpetrator deceased.[5] Partygoers in a bar across the street told reporters they saw people fleeing from the studio and that a man in a bloody white T-shirt who ran into the bar claimed to have charged the shooter only to be pistol whipped.[6] This claim was later confirmed in interviews with survivors who stated that the male customer used a vacuum cleaner and then a broomstick to attack Beierle, which gave other students time to escape. Tallahassee Police Chief Michael DeLeo also credited the students who "fought back and tried not only to save themselves but other people".[7]
The shooter fired 14 bullets including the suicide shot.[8][9]
The yoga studio was a part of a plaza occupied by restaurants and other businesses. Those eating at the restaurant beneath the studio heard the gunshots and told reporters that the owner came through the dining area shortly after, asking if anyone was a doctor.[10]
Victims
When officers arrived, it was discovered that six people were shot in the attack. Two victims, Maura Binkley and Nancy Van Vessem, were deceased at the scene.[11] Binkley, age 21, was a student at Florida State University, and due to graduate in 2019.[12] Dr. Nancy Van Vessem, age 61, was a doctor, the chief medical director for Capital Health Plan, and a faculty member at Florida State University.[13]
Perpetrator
Scott Paul Beierle (October 6, 1978 – November 2, 2018)[14] was later revealed as the perpetrator by police. According to his social media profiles on Facebook and LinkedIn, Beierle was a military veteran and former teacher for the Anne Arundel County Public School System in Maryland, teaching both English and social studies at Meade High School and being affiliated with conservative groups such as FSUCollege Republicans and We Are Conservatives.[15][16][17] Additionally, Beierle had taught at numerous other schools as a substitute teacher, yet only briefly due to performance issues and inappropriate behavior. In one instance, he was fired for an incident where he reportedly asked a female student if she was "ticklish", while touching her "below the bra line" on her stomach.[18] He was charged twice for battery, in 2012 and 2016, both times accused of grabbing a woman's buttocks.[19]
The FBI and Tallahassee Police Department attested to Beierle's hatred of women, saying he was "disturbed" during the shooting. They further noted he planned the attack months in advance.[25] The International Centre for Counter-Terrorism lists the attack as an act of misogynist terrorism.[4]
Aftermath
Florida State University held a vigil for the victims on November 4, while another series of tributes was planned for November 5 with the help of Tallahassee's Delta Delta Delta sorority chapter, of which victim Maura Binkley was a member.[26] Other tributes were published by the deceased's families and friends through social media.[27] On November 11, a candlelit vigil was held at Cascades Park. The day after the shooting, a yoga instructor of Hot Yoga Tallahassee led a yoga class for healing in the middle of Adams Street.[28][29] In 2019, Binkley's parents sued the yoga studio and property owner claiming both were negligent in providing adequate safety.[30]
Maura's Voice Research Fund (MVRF) at the Florida State University College of Social Work was established by Maura's parents, Jeff and Margaret Binkley, to honor her legacy and dedication to serving others. MVRF supports academic and legal research focused on hate crimes and prevention of violence against women and girls and is committed to effective practices and policy reforms.[31]
In 2022, the Secret Service's National Threat Assessment Center released a detailed case study of the shooting. The report says the attacker is typical of misogynist extremism or male supremacist violence. He was arrested for groping women, wrote violent songs about torturing women, and admired mass killers who targeted women.[3][32]
^ abLong, Colleen (March 15, 2022). "Secret Service study of yoga class shooting shows misogyny". AP News. The shooting that left two women dead and wounded six others spotlights the growing concern posed by extremists with hatred toward women, according to a case study the U.S. Secret Service released Tuesday.
