He was born in 1979 in Queens in New York City but as an adult headed west to Seattle. In May 2004 he was arrested there for allegedly shooting the back tyres of a construction vehicle outside his home. He told officers he felt workers had mocked him and that he acted in an anger-fueled blackout. He was not charged and three years later was able to become a full time reservist in the US Navy, ending up at the Fleet Logistics Support Squadron in Fort Worth in 2008. He specialised in maintaining electrical systems on planes, reaching the rank of Aviation Electrician’s Mate 3rd Class.