The movie was a big hit, spawning two sequels (one released and one to be released soon). It’s also inspired real life events. In 2014, my town of Louisville, Kentucky, was the scene of the so-called Louisville Purge. It was basically an excuse for people to drink and do crazy things, or to stay at home and listen to police scanners for fun. It was also a prank put together by a high-school student. However, another incident of Purge-inspired violence was more troublesome and more deadly. Johnathan Cruz, 19, killed three people and committed several other crimes because of The Purge.
On May 12, Cruz shot Billy Boyd and Jay Higginbotham. On May 14, he robbed a man at gunpoint. that man was lucky; on May 15 Cruz killed Jose Ruiz. That’s three murders and an armed robbery in three days. Thankfully, it wasn’t Friday the 13th as well, or he might have gone on a machete rampage. His friends and family say that the Purge connection is mostly a media creation, but Indianapolis, Indiana, authorities have a different take on the story.
“I can’t get into his mind, but he certainly used the movie as at least his excuse or justification when he was recording himself committing these acts,” said Marion County Deputy Prosecutor Denise Robinson.
Meanwhile, The Purge: Election Year comes out July 1, 2016.
Tags: crime and punishment, unusual crimes, the purge, the purge murders, purge inspires real life killer, real life killer goes on purge, indianapolis, indiana, johnathan cruz, denise robinson, indianapolis killer uses the purge as inspiration, movies, purge film