Per thoughts of a Knox PD CT expert, Chief David Rausche, (interviewed on radio, so summary on my reccolection) -
- This guy expected to die; just not fast. The body armor was to increase his odds in causing more casulties, and creating futher chaos.
- His apartment was to be a diversion, occupying police & EMS there, and allow him more time uninterupted at the theater.
- The timers on the stereo were to cause the neighbors to call the police, who would in theory break down the door, tripping explosions at the apartment. But, neighbors did not call until *after* his carnage at the theater.
- as a result, police were able to respond within 90 seconds of first 911 call, Catching him this early in the process, disrupting his plans (my thought...not to mention also having a firearm failure), thus he essentially "gave up", at his car, much earlier than intended, instead of later dying by police fire.