School Shooters

Abstract

Situations involving active shooters in schools have increased in recent years. We define an "active shooter incident" as an occurrence where one or more individuals participate in an ongoing, random, or systematic shooting spree with the objective of multiple or mass murders. Attempts to build a profile of active school shooters have been unsuccessful to date, although there is some evidence to suggest that mental instability, social isolation, a self-perception of catastrophic loss, and access to weapons play a role in the identification of the shooter in a school shooting incident. This article details theories and after-the-fact findings of investigations on previous school shooters, and we offer an application of Levin and Madfis's Five Stage Sequential Model to Adam Lanza, the perpetrator of the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December, 2012. Prevention strategies, suggestions for positive school climates, school security for the physical plants, and threat assessments are discussed, and implications for future research are offered.

Shared Struggles? Cumulative Strain Theory and Public Mass Murderers From 1990 to 2014

“…Importantly for the present study, CST is not inherently limited to murderous attacks at educational institutions by students, although that is where it has previously been used (Bonanno & Levenson, 2014). The criminological theories from which the model is derived -strain theory, social control, and routine activities -are commonly applied to a range of adult offenders engaged in diverse criminal behaviors.…”

School Counselors' Experiences With Lockdown Drills: A Phenomenological Investigation

“…As relayed in the first and third themes (school counselors' sense of duty to follow school protocol and school counselors navigating complexities), school counselors largely felt an obligation to comply with lockdown procedures and, at times, questioned the appropriateness of their roles and the protocol. Relatedly, because of the significant tragedy of school shootings, these incidents are highly publicized and can result in a ripple effect of panic, leading to fear-based, reactive, and hastily implemented school-based safety procedures lacking evidence (Bonanno & Levenson, 2014;Jonson, 2017;King & Bracy, 2019;Madfis, 2016). Given that the school counselors in the present study questioned lockdown protocols and described corresponding challenges, schools implementing lockdown drills must base their lockdown protocols-and all other safety-related decisions-on research and best practices.…”

“…In response to school shootings, active shooter lockdown drills have been used as a means to prepare staff and students for potential school-based active shooter incidents (Bonanno & Levenson, 2014;Jonson, 2017;Musu et al, 2019). In a nationally representative study, 95% of U.S. public schools conducted lockdown drills (Musu et al, 2019).…”

A Model Based Approach to School Shootings: Every Second Counts!

“…This will be analyzed as it has transpired in real events, and after comprehensive evaluation, a set of tactical considerations will be proposed as to how to more effectively respond during future incidents. No preparation is thorough without inclusion of the schools, as Bonanno and Levenson (2014) explain that school districts must form partnerships with law enforcement to achieve policy and program development for preventive measures.…”