Heartbreak: Ex-con kills parents, friends and motorists after bursting into tears on social media

A 34-year old man killed four people, including his parents, before opening fire at motorists driving on an interstate highway in Maine, authorities said on Wednesday. The tragic incident came after the young man was released from a short prison sentence and burst into tears in a social media monologue about suffering from the pain of not feeling forgiven for his past mistakes. 

The shooting took place on Tuesday at a home in Bowdoin, about 30 miles northeast of Portland, where four people were shot. Three bodies were found inside the home and a fourth one inside a barn, according to police.  

After the shooting, the suspect fled the scene towards Interstate 295 south of Yarmouth. There, he opened fire at moving vehicles, injuring three members of a family, the police said

"It's a shock to everybody," said the commissioner of the Maine Department of Public Safety Mike Sauschuck. "You want to naturally say, 'That can't be happening here in Maine.' But the reality is these senseless acts can and do happen everywhere."

The shooter, Joseph Eaton, 34, was released from the Maine Correctional Center in Windham just days before the shooting after he completed his sentence for aggravated assault. He had been charged with more than six crimes over the past decade. 

Eaton was charged with four counts of murder. He awaits charges for the highway shooting. 

The victims were identified as Joseph’s parents: Cynthia Eaton, 62, and David Eaton, 66, and two of their friends, Robert Eger, 72, and Patricia Eger, 62. 

The motorists who were injured on the interstate were family members who were traveling in the same car. They were identified as Sean Halsey, 51, Justin Halsey, 29, and Paige Halsey, 25. Paige Halsey remains in critical condition. 

Eaton told police he was shooting at moving cars because he thought police officers were following him. 

The day before the shooting, Eaton posted a live video on Facebook criticizing people who claim to be Christians but do not give people a second chance to redeem themselves. 

"What good does it do to hate somebody?" he said on the verge of tears. "You know, it destroys you."