A man who opened fire in an Oklahoma restaurant, shooting three people before being shot himself, posted on social media that he was experiencing a “hardcore demonic attack.”

Alexander Tilghman died in the shootout at Louie’s Grill & Bar at Lake Hefner, but for several months before that, his public posts alluded to attacks by demons and Satan. So… was this religion’s fault?

The real culprit may be something worse: a society that doesn’t pay attention to cries for help and can’t distinguish between religious beliefs and psychosis.

Obviously Tilghman is ultimately to blame for his own actions, but this is someone who needed mental help and didn’t get it because people mistook his symptoms for religious visions. He literally begged for assistance online, according to local reports.

In a video dated April 27, Alexander Tilghman sits alone in a room and speaks directly to a camera, saying his life is in danger and he is under “hardcore demonic attack.” Tilghman says he constantly hears cracks and booms throughout the house. He asks for “real people” to get in contact with him. In a comment on the video, Tilghman pleads for help. “i have given up on life and my only hope is if a real person reaches out to me, been alone for too long, going through hardcore satanic attack, i hear snapping on the walls, i hear these noises EVERYWHERE i go, i cant take it anymore, its the worst torture ever!!! someone please help me!!!!” he writes. In other videos, Tilghman records his walks along trails at Lake Hefner, saying he is being tormented by demonic ducks, gnats and locusts. In one video, Tilghman records traffic on Lake Hefner Parkway as it passes the lake, saying Satan is making the cars louder than they would ordinarily be.

It’s unclear if Tilghman’s condition deteriorated because people ignored him, or because he didn’t have access to proper mental care, or a combination of those things. But it’s disturbing that someone who demonstrated clear signs of mental illness literally begged for help yet wasn’t able to get it.

He was, however, able to get his hands on a gun. No matter where you stand politically, that’s a problem.

(Thanks to Evan for the link)

