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Brenda Spencer shot up her school because shedoesn't like Mondays

MOST people bemoan Mondays but no-one has ever hated the start of a school week as fatally as thisAmerican teen.

On January 29, 1979 Brenda Ann Spencer shot up her school in an act of beginning-of-the-week blues.

At about 8.30am, just as classes were about to start at Grover Cleveland Elementary in San Diego, the 16-year-old girlopened fire on staff and students.

About 15 minutes later the custodian and the principal were dead, and eight children and the police officer werewounded.

When a reporter from the local newspaper phoned the house which police had pinpointed as the sniper's nest, thefreckle-faced red-headed teen revealed her motivation.

"I don't like Mondays. This livens up the day," Brenda told him.

After a six-hour standoff the quiet teen walked out of the house, put her .22 rifle - a Christmas gift from her dad - on thelawn and surrendered to police.

Brenda later pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and assault with a deadly weapon and was sentenced tolife, with a possibility of parole after 25 years.

Brenda's explanation for her actions, that she didn't like Mondays, inspired Bob Geldof to pen a song for his group, TheBoomtown Rats. The song, "I Don't Like Mondays," topped the U.K.'s music charts the summer after the rampage.

BY: STAFF WRITERS

FROM: NEWS.COM.AU

NOVEMBER 04, 2013 9:38AM

Murderer Brenda Spencer led to court during her trial in 1979. Source: News Limited

SOURCE: http://www.news.com.au/world/brenda-spencer-shot-up-her-school-because-she-doesnt-l ike-mondays/story-fndir2ev-1226752560754