O/T, article re: mass/school shooters (yes, I know this situation in Tampa is not a cool shooting, etc.----my point is experts seem to agree in various articles that there are are warning signs that usually precede such violent behavior....so, if so, who has he told/what warning signs were there, if any?)
The Warning Signs of a Mass Shooting
Though profiles are not predictors, these experts say there are warning signs.
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/12/the-warning-signs-of-a-mass-shooting/433527/
There are warning signs with any and every type of violent behavior, although sometimes those signs occur very quickly.
From The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker:
We all can imagine every human feeling and that ability makes us experts at predicting what others will do. Evolution gave us introspection so we could model other human beings, and therefore, predict human behavior. We still have stone-age minds; we are still competitive, territorial, and violent like our ancestors. It is recognizing the sameness in us that allows us to accurately predict violent behavior.
It's really about recognizing the play from a few lines of dialogue. It's about trusting that the behavior of a character will be consistent with his perception of a situation. Human action cannot land without impulse, and impulse cannot land without that which triggers it. Each step is preceded by the step before it.
We must ask ourselves if the actor will perceive violence as moving him toward a desired outcome or away from it. The conscious or unconscious decision to use violence usually boils down to how a person perceives four simple issues: justification, alternatives, consequences, and ability (JACA).
Justification - Do they feel justified in using violence? Have they shifted from "what you've done angers me" to "what you've done is wrong"? Do they feel they've been intentionally provoked?
Alternatives - Do they see other alternatives to reach the desired outcome? A person who sees no other alternative will fight even when violence isn't justified, even when consequences are perceived as unfavorable, and even when the ability to prevail is low.
Consequences - How does the person view the consequences associated with using violence? Consequences may seem intolerable for those whose identity and self-image would be too damaged if they used violence, but context can change that (like the normally passive person who becomes violent in a crowd or mob.) Violence can be made tolerable by the support and encouragement of others. If consequences are perceived as favorable, as with the assassin who seeks attention, violence is likely.
Ability - Do they believe they can successfully deliver the blows or bullets or bomb? Those who possess weapons, or other advantages, perceive a high ability to use violence.
A few signs that someone may be predetermined for violent behavior: criminality in childhood, a victim of neglect and/or abuse, they exhibit signs of recklessness and bravado, and they lack an aversion to situations that shock most others (for example, a person who witnesses a hostile argument and remains calm while everyone else is shaken up). Like a surgeon who loses his aversion to blood and gore, violent offenders lose their aversion to hostility.
1. Always listen to your intuition. It always has your best interests at heart.
2. Pay attention to the use of dark humor. It's commonly used to voice true concerns without the risk of looking silly or showing overt fear. (Example: A plant worker was heard telling his coworkers, "that's probably just Westbecher coming back to finish us off," in response to a sound they heard coming from outside. Unfortunately, the man was right and the disgruntled employee walked in shooting just minutes later.) The statement can often sound outlandish, but the point is that the idea entered into your conscious mind for a reason. Why?
3. The messengers of intuition (from the least urgent to the most urgent):
nagging feelings
persistent thoughts
humor
wonder
anxiety
curiosity
hunches
gut feelings
doubt
hesitation
suspicion
apprehension
fear
I just thought I'd share a bit of the book with you guys. I order everyone to read it. It's the most important and insightful book I've ever read.
The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker
(PS. You can download it for free with Kindle Unlimited).
