Who Is 1998 Thurston High School shooting? Age, Biography and Wiki
Kip Kinkel was born on August 30, 1982, in Springfield, Oregon. He is best known for perpetrating the infamous Thurston High School shooting in May 1998, which resulted in the deaths of two students and injuries to 25 others. Kinkel exhibited troubling behaviors in the months leading up to the shooting, including threats made against students and previous incidents of violence. He was ultimately sentenced to 111 years in prison and continues to be a case study in discussions surrounding youth violence and mental health.
| Occupation | Other |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | August 30, 1982 |
| Age | 43 Years |
| Birth Place | Springfield, Oregon, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Virgo |
| Country | U.S |
Popularity
1998 Thurston High School shooting's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
While Kip Kinkel is not a public figure in the traditional sense today, during his high school years, he was noted to have an average build consistent with that of a teenager. Assuming his weight was proportional to his height during that time (around 5'9"), specific body measurements are not publicly documented due to the nature of his criminal background.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Kip Kinkel was raised in a family deeply impacted by his violent actions. His relationship with his parents was complex, marked by the tensions of adolescence and responsibility. As of 2025, Kinkel remains incarcerated, and no reports suggest any romantic relationships. During his time in prison, he has not been publicly linked to any boyfriend or girlfriend.
On May 21, 1998, 15-year-old freshman student Kipland Kinkel opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle in the cafeteria of Thurston High School in Springfield, Oregon, United States, killing 2 of his classmates and wounding 25 others.
He had killed his parents at the family home the previous day, following his suspension pending an expulsion hearing after he admitted to school officials that he was keeping a stolen handgun in his locker. Fellow students subdued him, leading to his arrest.
He later characterized his actions as an attempt to get others to kill him, since he wanted to take his own life after killing his parents but could not bring himself to.
Net Worth and Salary
Given the nature of Kip Kinkel's imprisonment and the societal implications of his actions, he lacks any substantial net worth. Typically, individuals in prison do not generate personal income or assets outside of small amounts accrued through prison work or family support. Thus, Kinkel's net worth is effectively negligible.
Career, Business and Investments
Kip Kinkel has not pursued a career or business, as he has spent the majority of his life since the tragic incident in prison. Consequently, he does not have any investments or entrepreneurial activities to report.
In jail, Kinkel was placed on suicide watch. He attempted to kill himself by starvation, but stopped once his sister, Kristin, began visiting him. He did not resume the attempts when she had to leave the state to finish her undergraduate degree because he "didn't want her to have to fly right back [to Springfield] again."
Social Network
Kip Kinkel does not engage in social networking platforms, consistent with the restrictions placed on inmates. Since he was convicted and sentenced, he has not been part of any public social media or networking communities, further isolating him from the public sphere.
Classmates at Thurston described Kinkel as strange and morbid. Others characterized him as psychotic or schizoid, enjoying the music of rock bands such as Nine Inch Nails, Rage Against the Machine, and Marilyn Manson. He constantly talked about committing acts of violence, telling friends that he wanted to join the U.S.
Army after graduation to find out what it was like to kill someone. When asked about a family trip to Disneyland, he commented that he wanted to "punch Mickey Mouse in the nose." He once gave a "how-to" speech in bomb-making to his speech class and set off "stink bombs" in the lockers of classmates.
Kinkel studied William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet in his English class and related with the protagonists and became enamored with the 1996 modernized film adaptation, which featured heavy use of firearms.
Education
Before the shooting incident, Kip Kinkel was a student at Thurston High School in Springfield. His academic performance reportedly declined in the months leading to the shooting, fueled by psychological challenges and social alienation. Since his conviction, he has had limited access to educational opportunities, focused instead on personal rehabilitation within the prison system.
The shooting made national news, as the latest in a series of school shootings over the previous year. Kinkel's was seen as more egregious than the earlier ones before since he had gone into a crowded internal space and indiscriminately opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle.
President Bill Clinton spoke at the high school a month later about the issue. A memorial outside the school memorializes the two students killed.
