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Let's dig deeper. Joining us now Brian Levin, director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism in California State University in San Bernardino. Brian, we don't know why somebody would have killed this man or exactly what happened to this man. What do you see now given the AP's report about duct tape and gags and the word "Fed" being scrawled on his body? What are the options in terms of what could have happened?
BRIAN LEVIN, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF HATE AND EXTREMISM: Great question. And initially, look, we're looking at several things. Someone with just a severe violent disorder, could be just an amorphous anger.
An anti-government extremist -- that's another person that's looking more and more likely. But again, there's a lot that we don't know.
Third, it could be someone who's an illegal drug runner, pot farmer in the rural area who felt that this guy was somehow getting too close to their illegal operations.
And lastly, it could be someone with some personal animus against Mr. Sparkman who is trying to cover it up by suggesting a political motivation for it. So those are, you know, the four basic things we could look at. But at this point, this was such a symbolic and personal anger, that I'm led to lean towards someone who has severe anti-government feelings, perhaps someone who's seeking revenge. Maybe they were audited or had some problem with some kind of government official.
COOPER: Ok, to display the victim in this way seems, I mean, telling one way or another. I mean, there's clearly something to that.
LEVIN: It's a lynching [corrected], I mean, quite simply, it's a lynching. The issue is was this something that, you know, is a politically-motivated lynching? Or was there some other nefarious personal motive playing into this picture here? And, again, you could have someone who's an illegal operator of a pot farm who is also an anti-government extremist.
But again, I mean, this was a highly symbolic act. And if these facts that are alleged are true, it causes me to lean towards some kind of anti-government extremist. But, again, everything's on the table. We let the evidence take us where we're going, not the analyst.
COOPER: Brian Levin, I appreciate you being on. There is a lot we do not know. We're being very cautious on what we're reporting on this and what we are saying. Brian, I appreciate your time, thank you.
An anti-government extremist -- that's another person that's looking more and more likely. But again, there's a lot that we don't know.
Third, it could be someone who's an illegal drug runner, pot farmer in the rural area who felt that this guy was somehow getting too close to their illegal operations.
And lastly, it could be someone with some personal animus against Mr. Sparkman who is trying to cover it up by suggesting a political motivation for it. So those are, you know, the four basic things we could look at. But at this point, this was such a symbolic and personal anger, that I'm led to lean towards someone who has severe anti-government feelings, perhaps someone who's seeking revenge. Maybe they were audited or had some problem with some kind of government official.
COOPER: Ok, to display the victim in this way seems, I mean, telling one way or another. I mean, there's clearly something to that.
LEVIN: It's a lynching [corrected], I mean, quite simply, it's a lynching. The issue is was this something that, you know, is a politically-motivated lynching? Or was there some other nefarious personal motive playing into this picture here? And, again, you could have someone who's an illegal operator of a pot farm who is also an anti-government extremist.
But again, I mean, this was a highly symbolic act. And if these facts that are alleged are true, it causes me to lean towards some kind of anti-government extremist. But, again, everything's on the table. We let the evidence take us where we're going, not the analyst.
COOPER: Brian Levin, I appreciate you being on. There is a lot we do not know. We're being very cautious on what we're reporting on this and what we are saying. Brian, I appreciate your time, thank you.
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