Spring Lake mayor has ties to Florida State University gunman
SPRING LAKE, N.C. (WTVD) -- A local mayor has a connection to the gunman in this week's shooting at Florida State University in Tallahassee.
Spring Lake Mayor Chris Rey and accused Florida gunman Myron May became friends in law school.
Rey said he was stunned by the shooting, and said, up until now, he never thought his college buddy was capable of something like this.
"You are numb," said Rey during an interview from his hotel room in Texas, where he is on a business trip.
"At the same time, it's like 'Am I reading this correctly?' This is just someone I was speaking with a few days ago," said Rey.
In his last Facebook message, May said Rey and up to seven other friends would be getting a special package, but Rey never got to read his friend's message.
The Postal Service intercepted the package, and an investigator asked Rey for permission to open the package addressed to him.
"He said it was a document that was stating you know why he did this, like a manifesto," said Rey. "He believed that the government is targeting individuals."
Rey said he never felt like he was targeted or spied on, but he did worry about his family's safety.
Rey also said he knew his friend was struggling with mental health issues, but didn't know it was that bad.
"You could really see the crying for help on his Facebook page with some of his messages about being broken inside," said Rey. "It does not matter how accomplished you are, how many degrees you have, it's serious."
Rey is due back in Spring Lake Sunday. He didn't say if he and other friends who either received or were supposed to get the packages, have talked.
