How to Find the Next Mass Shooter
The Thousand Oaks shooter allegedly assaulted his coach years before the shooting. She was advised to keep it a secret. A Florida high school shooter allegedly abused, threatened, and stalked people he knew. The Las Vegas shooter allegedly publicly insulted his girlfriend . There is no surefire way to know who will be the next mass shooter, but red flags have appeared.
Earlier this year, the FBI released a report on “ mass shooters ‘ behavior prior to the attack,” according to Quartz . 63 percent were white, about the same as the US population. 94 percent were men. The FBI concludes the report:
A complex and unsettling picture emerges of people who are unable to successfully deal with the many stressors in their lives, while simultaneously exhibiting four to five observables regarding behavior, participation in planning and preparation, and frequently reporting threats or leaked indications of intent to attack.
They say it takes a community to notice all the red flags. But they include forms of abuse, harassment, intimidation and violence, to name just a few. Among the red flags:
- Threats or collisions (35 percent of shooters)
- Physical aggression (33 percent)
- Anger that worries others (33%)
- Intimate partner violence (16 percent of shooters) and harassment (11 percent)
- Suicidal thoughts (48 percent)
- “About” interpersonal behavior (57%)
- Inappropriate use of firearms (21 percent)
Most shooters spend a week or more planning their attacks and often tell friends or family what they are planning. People often do not communicate their fears, which is especially tragic because people close to the shooter may be among his targets.
If you are concerned that someone close to you might commit terrorist acts or criminal activity, you can tip the FBI online here .
Thirteen states (California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Illinois, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington) allow red flag gun laws to take a person away from a person is at high risk for violent behavior (which can include domestic violence and other situations, not just overkill). Three other states propose such laws.