Skip to main content

Men Who Shoot Children



 In today's Washington Post, there's a story about the Texas shooter who entered an elementary school--19 children are dead.

Could you predict that the Texas shooter was at high risk?

Possibly.

The first paragraph of the WP article caught my attention.

"The gunman in Tuesday’s elementary school massacre was a lonely 18-year-old who was bullied over a childhood speech impediment, suffered from a fraught home life and lashed out violently against peers and strangers recently and over the years, friends and relatives said."

How is that helpful?

Peterson and Densley have studied mass shooters. A large number of shooters had a history of childhood trauma and most were in a state of crisis close to the time of the shooting.

Here's a quote from their book, The Violence Project.

Almost 70% of the mass shooters in schools had a history of childhood trauma

 and they killed more people than shooters who did not have trauma.


And there's something else about the Texas shooter-- leakage.

Take a look at another paragraph...

About a year ago, Ramos posted on social media photos of automatic rifles that “he would have on his wish list,” Valdez said. Four days ago, he posted images of two rifles he referred to as “my gun pics.”


From The Violence Project, we learn:

Among the young shooters (age 20 and below), 

86% had leaked their plans before the shooting.


Read on to learn about the Texas shooter's family and their crises.

Crisis is another predictor of lethal events.

80% of the mass shooters in their database

 were in a state of crisis close in time to the lethal event. 

Of course, not every young man who has the foregoing experiences will end up killing children or adults. Nevertheless, the risk factors suggest considerations.

And the young men with a troubled history deserve attention for their sake and possibly the sake of society.

I have recommended purchasing The Violence Project. 

You can read my review or those of others on AMAZON or wherever you look for book reviews.


Disclosure. Sometimes I earn money for some clicks on links.


Please check out my website   www.suttong.com

   and see my books on   AMAZON       or  GOOGLE STORE

Also, consider connecting with me on    FACEBOOK   Geoff W. Sutton    

   TWITTER  @Geoff.W.Sutton    

You can read many published articles at no charge:

  Academia   Geoff W Sutton     ResearchGate   Geoffrey W Sutton 












Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Marriage Under Reconstruction

The 1950s imaginary sentimental love man as protein-carbs winner (bring home the bacon & breadwinner) marriage has ended for most people in most Western cultures. Some folks retain that image, or some photoshopped version of it, as the ideal traditional marriage.  Picture the happy couple at church with King James Bibles under their arms and you get the Protestant Christian version of this traditional marriage. Changes are a constant The changes in marriage and romantic relationships in the last few decades are staggering for anyone alive before the 1960s. Human behavior is my business. I am a psychologist. The counseling advice offered to couples seems to reflect the mythology of the decade rather than recommendations sourced in science. I would like to say that the nature and extent of the changes in marriage and romantic relationships have never been seen before in human history. But I am no historian. Nevertheless, the changes call for some consider...
4 comments
Read more

Why Social Spaces Are Psychological Forces

Louise Penny has noted that Quebec, the setting of her novels, operates almost as a character in its own right. This observation is more than literary flair; it reflects a psychological truth. Environments exert influence. They shape perception, emotion, and behavior. In social psychology, we recognize that human functioning is inseparable from context. Our interactions with others affect our mood, cognition, motivation, and even our physiological health. This is why social context is a core dimension of the SCOPES framework. Yet physical environments — even in the absence of people — also exert measurable effects. Consider how interior spaces communicate safety, warmth, or threat. A familiar chair can regulate stress; a poorly designed one can amplify discomfort. Sensory cues such as scent, sound, and texture influence our emotional states in subtle but powerful ways. Outdoor environments operate similarly. Natural settings often promote restoration, while harsh or polluted environmen...
Post a Comment
Read more

EASTER: VARIATIONS IN BELIEF

Differences in Religious & Spiritual Beliefs Relevant to the Easter Story By Geoffrey W. Sutton, Ph.D. at suttong.com Like most Christians, my wife and I attend an Easter Service. And, a s usual, the media rise to the Spring occasion with Bible stories, comments from various religious leaders and a few atheists—just to keep things balanced. Other religions are on the back burner until Monday. So many statements of beliefs come from the Easter events.  For now, here’s a sample of some core beliefs from various sources. God: 51% believe in God as in the Bible Statista (May, 2023) reported US belief "in God as described in holy scriptures" at 51%. Another 22% reported a belief in a higher power or spirit. Pew researchers from 2021 find 58% believe in God as described in the Bible and another 32% believe in a God or Higher Power.  Belief in God is obviously a core belief. U.S. belief has declined to 58% having no doubt God exists and another 17% have do...
Post a Comment
Read more