The Fomenting of a Rampage

A 2007 study of school shootings divided perpetrators into 4 groups. 1) Fascination with weapon, 2) Depression, anger, and suicidal ideation, 3) Rejection by peers and failed relationships, 4) Victimization by peers. Being fascinated with guns doesn’t make one a murderer. Neither does mental illness or even being bullied. But when the incidents were reviewed those who committed them fell clearly into these categories. Subsequent studies corroborated these findings and expanded on them. In addition, the studies found that the majority of shooters are white males. Some have mental health issues, but not all have been diagnosed as such. Many have been bullied at home or in school. Most elect to commit their violent rampages in public settings. The real question is then, how can we use this information to prevent such rampages from happening in the future and why has this behavior become so common in the Land of the Free?

Until now, the focus has been on policing schools, prioritizing single points of entry, metal detectors and the like. But that is not getting the job done. In fact, the recent July 4th rampage would not have been prevented with any of those steps. And certainly nothing is foolproof when facing ideological murderers such as Timothy McVeigh (Oklahoma 1995 domestic terrorism bombing). We also need to take into account that no algorithm can anticipate these acts fully. “Shootings are so statistically infrequent that no predictive algorithm can claim to see them coming.” 

They may be statistically infrequent for an algorithm, but they are too frequent for the health of our nation, our world. We must find a way to use this data and come up with a solution. 

James “Austin” Hancock went on a rampage because he felt left out and unwanted. His ADHD medicine was a poor fit for his genetics and was messing up his emotions, leaving him angrier and more depressed. When asked by the police why he did it, he said, “So I wouldn’t have to go home”. In almost every school shooting bullying was involved. The perpetrator was a victim of their masculinity being repeatedly wounded and they waited until their rage boiled up to take revenge and “prove” just how masculine they were. They were teased and felt invisible. What I refer to as “on the fringe”. They weren’t all mentally ill, but most were not mentally strong or resilient, if you will. Many were crushed by dysfunctional homes and lack of healthy connections. Many of the shooters had poor relationships with their parents. Some reported being victims of, or having witnessed, abuse. Some shooters allowed poverty to turn into jealousy and anger over their lot in life. “The people who carry out these attacks typically do them out of a sense of desperation,” says Marisa Randazzo, a former Secret Service psychologist.

Perhaps we can avoid the desperation. 

Elliot Rodger had been on the radar and the police even went to visit him at his mother’s request. When he seemed stable the officers had checked the boxes and moved on. They didn’t verify if he had purchased a gun recently and no one tried to assess his well-being. No one reviewed the Youtube videos he was posting. What could have been prevented had that happened? If follow up was done? Maybe we can get to these people in pain before they act out of desperation. It’s a choice, to harm and terrorize people, and without intervention, some will choose harm.   

And yet, not all do. Aaron Stark managed to not let the abuse and bullying dictate his life. In his opinion, when you have nothing to lose, you can do anything. A single friend of his treated him “like a person”. In his experience “giving love to the people that we think deserve it the least” is the way to avoid more murders. This may be a clue.  

In Bowling Alone, Professor Robert Putnam introduces the idea that in the US our society is not interfacing as it once did. Once we joined bowling leagues, clubs (Lions Club…), took picnics, and simply were intertwined with one another. That has been on a decline for the past 30 years in what he terms our “social capital”. The more connected we are to our community, house of faith, our building, or school, the more connections we have in our lives, these help to keep us emotionally healthy and strong. It’s not the popular, well-connected young adults who commit these shootings. The fact that many perpetrators come from broken homes and have poor connections with adults reinforces this idea. When we respect others’ opinions we don’t want to disappoint or embarrass them when possible. That kind of rules out shooting rampages. The positive side of peer pressure. When we are a lone wolf there is nothing to lose and we have less accountability. That can quickly turn into the most horrible of situations. 

The US is huge, which gives people a false sense of anonymity and a lack of accountability for their actions. For some people a feeling of powerlessness and invisibility drives them to do something that will get them noticed. This doesn’t just show up as mass shootings, though. For some it becomes abusiveness in stores, driving, and on the internet. Just like a child who tantrums when they feel everything is beyond their capabilities or no one is listening, these emotionally underdeveloped individuals break and lash out. Some with words. Some with bullets. Forty percent of shooters make declarations prior to an attack. Most to family members. Twenty percent on social media platforms. 

No matter who you are, pay attention and don’t just call the FBI. Think of ways to reach out and support the person. Whether or not you are a teacher, if you see bullying try to stop it. No one should feel alone and helpless. Perhaps we need to remember to reach out and respond to everyone.