When the lone crazy succeeds, it can be quite devastating. Some examples from the 1960s:
- Thomas G. Doty (34)
May 22, 1962, boarded Continental Airlines Flight 11 at O'Hare, exploded dynamite, causing plane to crash in Iowa killing all 45 onboard. Thought motivated by insurance fraud. - Francisco Paula Gonzales (27), competitor at the 1960 Summer Olympics
May 7, 1964, boarded Pacific Air Lines Flight 773 in Reno, over California shot both pilots and himself, causing plane to crash killing all 44 onboard. Remains worst incident of mass murder in modern California history. - Charles Joseph Whitman (25), former Marine
August 1, 1965, killed mother and wife, then later reach the observation deck of the UT Austin "Main Building" where he shot and killed 14 and wounded 32 over 96 minutes. - Richard Speck (25), convicted in Texas of forgery and burglary, was on run from burglary arrest warrant.
July 13–14, 1966, killed eight student nurses in Chicago. - James Earl Ray (40), fugitive from Missouri State Penitentiary
April 4, 1968, assassinated civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., single shot from Remington Gamemaster rifle. Conspiracy claims made. - Sirhan Sirhan (24)
June 5, 1968, shot Senator Robert F. Kennedy in Los Angeles (who died following day). Five others shot, but they recovered. Conspiracy claims made.
(Source: mostly Wikipedia)
Also the Boston Strangler and the Zodiac Killer.
We can add, in a different way, Jack Ruby. Granted he didn't hurt so many people, cause so much pain as the people above but I'm convinced that had he not shot Oswald that none of us would be here. None of us. Oswald would have talked, would have admitted to his acts, would have taken credit for his history changing event. He wanted to be a historic figure, this was his chance.
Yes, people would have said he was a victim of mind control, of Project MkUltra, or something else. Maybe that he had help. But that would be the fringe types, the Sirhan type defenders.