by Ann Kearney-Cooke, Ph.D.
The following are suggestions I am offering to address the mass shooting issue:
Psychological help must be available during school hours, on school grounds, for troubled individuals. For example, the shooter in Dayton compiled lists of students he wanted to kill or rape when he was in high school. Obviously, this is not normal. The school did what it had to do to protect other students by removing him from the school; but, removing a troubled teen from school doesn’t remove the potential for violence. We need to do more.
What happened after that?
If he is like most mass shooters and their families, they did not receive long-term psychological treatment. Research shows that many mass shooters have experienced social isolation and bullying. Most have experienced childhood trauma, exposure to violence at an early age, physical, sexual abuse, neglect, and domestic violence. Those are not excuses for their behavior, but they are a reality with profound and life changing impacts on youth that can prove deadly. Researchers have found that the brains of people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are different from those without post-traumatic stress disorder. Trauma effects the amygdala in the brain which leaves individuals hypervigilant to threat and effects the prefrontal cortex which leaves victims with difficulty regulating their emotions. It can cause problems in developing healthy relationships or tolerating life’s failures, rejections, and uncertainties without excessive distress.
Mental health care on school grounds
Maybe there is one psychological expert for each school district who spends six to eight hours at one school each day providing treatment on a weekly basis to help disaffected individuals and their families develop skills such as empathy, assertiveness, and selfmanagement skills. The federal government should invest in having expertly trained mental health workers on school grounds, who meet with troubled individuals twice weekly and their families once a week. These sessions would be more convenient for troubled individuals and their families, and individuals may be more willing to receive needed care when at a familiar environment. They can help potential shooters to develop closer attachments with their families and teach interpersonal skills and self-regulation skills (to handle their emotions without turning to violence). They can provide a toolbox of practical skills to handle the developmental challenges of life.
Protocols to report at risk individuals
We must develop clear protocols that individuals can use to anonymously let the FBI know when they fear someone could become violent. The ex-girlfriend of the Dayton shooter was concerned about his threats of violence when he called her drunk. She was in a bind and unqualified to assess the seriousness of his threats. Should she contact his parents? Was she worried that maybe she was overreacting since he was drunk? There need to be experts in schools and agencies that worried individuals can contact and report their concerns to.
Many mass shooters are angry, suicidal, obsessed with guns, and begin to withdraw from others before the shooting. Many leak their plan ahead of time. Afterwards, family and friends say they knew something was wrong with the potential shooter, but weren’t sure what to do about it. There needs to be an easily accessible and confidential resource for individuals to report their concerns.
We need to keep a close eye on social media
Potential mass shooters often draw inspiration from one another online. Many have studied the actions of other shooters and feel validated for their motive. Many of the socially alienated males get radicalized online and seek validation from others and learn that murder is justifiable, which amplify their anger.
For example, the El Paso shooter who wrote a manifesto posted on 8chan before the rampage. He denounced Hispanic immigrants and corporations.
Change in gun rights
Gun rights need to be protected, but there is no reason for a civilian to own an assault weapon with high capacity magazine. Assault weapons enable a shooter to kill many people quickly and may enhance the shooters sense of importance and revenge. I suggest universal background checks and raising the age of gun ownership. Also, red flag rules that remove guns from people at high risk should be implemented immediately. Leaders in our country need to be courageous and stand up to the NRA and make sure this happens as soon as possible.
The Dayton and El Paso shooters both used AK-47 assault rifles with multiple ammunitions when they killed many innocent people.
As I write this article, I learn about yet another mass shooting in Odessa, Texas. The time for change is now!
