Elliot Oliver Robertson Rodger (July 24, 1991 – May 23, 2014) was an English and American mass murderer who was responsible for the 2014 Isla Vista killings. His murders, death and manifesto have been cited as an early influence on the incel and manosphere subculture.
Born in London, England, Rodger relocated to California with his family as a child. Son of British filmmaker Peter Rodger, he grew up in a privileged household. Rodger struggled with social isolation, mental health issues, and rejection. He was diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) as a teenager. Following his diagnosis, he started treatment and received special education resources and therapy for the rest of his life. He endured bullying during his time in middle and high school. Several incidents of Rodger's strange behavior during his time in Isla Vista, California, along with videos and other writings that mentioned violent intentions, worried his family and acquaintances. Before starting his planned attack on the sorority house, Rodger uploaded to YouTube a video announcing his intention to "punish" women—as well as the men to whom they were attracted—for their lack of interest in him. He also e-mailed a 137-page manifesto—in which he described his major life events, personal struggles, and frustrations at having remained a lifelong virgin—to several of his family members, acquaintances, and therapists.
On May 23, 2014, Rodger killed six people and injured fourteen others using knives, semi-automatic pistols, and his car in Isla Vista, near the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). Rodger first killed his two roommates and their friend in the apartment they shared, ambushing and stabbing them one at a time as they arrived. Hours later, he drove to the Alpha Phi sorority house, where he intended to murder its occupants but was unable to enter the premises. Rodger instead shot at three women from the Delta Delta Delta sorority who were walking outside the Alpha Phi sorority house, killing two. He later drove by a nearby delicatessen, shooting and killing a man inside. Afterward, Rodger drove around Isla Vista, indiscriminately shooting and ramming into pedestrians with his vehicle. He exchanged gunfire with sheriff's deputies twice, getting shot in his hip. Shortly after, he crashed his vehicle into a parked car. As police examined the vehicle, they found Rodger dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head.
In the years following his death, Rodger's attacks became a topic in conversations about mental health, online radicalization, and misogyny. He is cited as an early figure of the incel and manosphere subculture, getting referred to as a "hero" and "saint" in internet forums. Rodger's attacks have often been praised by incels around the world. He has both influenced and been referenced by perpetrators of other mass killings, with some referring to their actions as "going E.R.", including those who perpetrated the 2015 Umpqua Community College shooting and the 2018 Toronto van attack. Rodger's killings have sparked social media campaigns like #NotAllMen and #YesAllWomen and have contributed to ongoing debates about toxic masculinity, gender-based violence, and the influence of internet forums in radicalizing young men who intend to commit copy-cat crimes.