‘I Just Don’t Like Mondays’: 16-Year-Old Opened Fire on Young Students Across From Her Home, Chilling Motive Revealed

Back in 1979, one of the horrific school shootouts occurred. A 16-year-old opened fire on an elementary school community across the street from her San Diego home. When asked why she committed the horrific act of crime, the teenager brutally replied, "I don't like Mondays. This livens up the day."

The shootout left two dead, with nine injured. She was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison with the possibility of parole. However, her request has been denied multiple times since she became eligible in 1993.

Brenda Spencer, 16, targeted specific students from across the street as principal Burton Wragg opened the gates for them. It was the beginning of the school day, and the teenager first shot a 9-year-old identified as Cam Miller.

According to the San Diego County District Attorney, she disliked Miller because he was wearing her favorite color, blue. As the students began panicking, Spencer continued to target several others. The principal and the teacher quickly followed with safety procedures to save the kids from the teenager's open fire.

In the process, custodian Mike Suchar, 56, was dead, and so were principal Wragg, 52. The shootout left eight children injured, and a responding officer. The police had to place a garbage truck in front of the school building to counter the open firing.

Spencer was barricaded inside her home for hours as police prepared to arrest her. During the time, she was called by a reporter and asked about her motive behind the shootout. "I don't like Mondays. This livens up the day," said the teenager at that time.

She ultimately surrendered herself to the police, but on one condition, that she would be taken to Burger King one last time. She was ultimately charged with two counts of murder, nine counts of attempted murder, and assault with a deadly weapon.

deadly weapon. The additional nine counts were dismissed. In 1993, she was first eligible for parole. At that time, she claimed that drugs and alcohol influenced her into committing the crimes.

However, when her claims couldn't be proved, her parole request was denied. In 2001, she tried again, this time alleging his father of physical and s–xual abuse. However, she was denied, and the same went on from 2005 to 2009 and 2022.

Most recently, in February 2025, she requested parole and was denied as well. San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said, "The shock of this brazen crime rippled through the community in San Diego at the time, and it continues to hold a place of infamy in the history of mass shootings in our nation."

"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," he added.