Brenda Spencer, then 16, infamous for her 1979 Cleveland Elementary School shooting where she tragically took the lives of two people, was denied parole again on Feb. 21, 2025. The parole board stated that, among other reasons, they believe the “horrific circumstances” of Spencer’s crimes do not warrant release.
The reality is that even before the shooting at Cleveland Elementary School, Spencer had already shown red flags about her mental acuity. It’s now common knowledge for anyone who followed the case that she was medically evaluated a year before the shooting, and the official recommendation was that she be admitted for depression. Her father rejected this recommendation and instead, on Christmas of 1978, got her a gun. Senseless violence like this is usually caused by serious mental issues that politicians instead ignore for political debates.
Her father, Wallace Spencer, had divorced Brenda’s mother, Dorothy, after being caught having an affair. Wallace and Brenda then went on to live in dilapidated conditions — what Brenda later described as “total neglect.” She tried to use this and even more horrific claims in her later failed parole hearings.
All that is known for a fact right now is that on the morning of Jan. 29, 1979, Brenda went berserk. She reportedly started shooting at the nearby Cleveland Elementary School from her house, killing the principal, Burton Wragg, and custodian, Mike Suchar, while also injuring eight children. The officer who was first to respond, Robert Robb, was wounded in the neck but, unlike Charlie Kirk’s complex tragic shooting, Robb survived.
After firing 36 shots, Brenda went back into her house and barricaded herself. A reporter was able to find her home number and talked to her on the phone, trying to figure out in real time why Brenda would shoot at innocent children. She responded, “I don’t like Mondays. This livens up the day.”
Brenda’s Monday blues were eventually appeased by police officers offering her Burger King if she surrendered without a shoot-out. Her case was quick — she pled guilty and was sentenced to 25-to-life in 1980. Her first parole hearing was scheduled for 1993.
In 1993, Brenda lied that she was under the influence at the time of the mass shooting. She claimed she had been heavily using alcohol and other drugs that morning and was actually hoping the police would shoot her. However, tests conducted on the day of her arrest showed she was clean. Needless to say, her parole was denied.
NBC reports that in subsequent hearings, Brenda was repeatedly held back by bad behavior and other unsubstantiated claims. She attempted self-harm and accused her father of sexual assault — an allegation made long after her arrest, with the board finding insufficient evidence. The only way she would ever get out is through another dubious pardon.
In 2025, the parole board all but confirmed that she would not be granted parole — perhaps ever. The board released a statement saying, “While new laws are in place that can potentially speed up releases for individuals who were convicted as minors, as well as inmates who are over 50 years old, our position is that the totality of the horrific circumstances of this crime and this case do not warrant release, and we are gratified that the Parole Board agreed with our position.”
