Profile of a School Shooter: Ingredient 8 - Leakage of Intent, It Was No Secret

In every mass shooting case you will find what professionals refer to as "leakage". The perpetrators leaked plans before the attack. It was as if they boiled over, or perhaps were testing the reaction. These kids told at least one other personally, usually more than one ahead of time. In some cases dozens of students knew about the plot beforehand, they even gathered to watch that morning just to see if it would really happen.

Almost a year before Columbine, local law enforcement officers were handed death threats, detailed bomb making instructions, and even details on the bomb tests. This information was all housed on a personal website run by one of the perpetrators. Law enforcement even went as far as obtaining a search warrant... but failed to execute it. After the criminal investigation began, that information disappeared for a time, only to be retrieved by a reporter. Up to that point law enforcement denied it existed at all.

Many of the witnesses questioned after shootings occurred said they did not feel comfortable going to an adult, because they either felt the adults wouldn't listen or that they were taught not to "tattle." In nearly every case it came down to someone who had the power to stop it from happening, but were afraid to upset people if it all turned out to be nothing so they did nothing.

Violent writings were present in many of the cases, but teachers are not trained psychologists. When reading the writings after the fact it is easy to pick up on certain signals. They almost always portray a victim rising up against their attackers in a violent manner and emerging the hero. Assignments written by the perpetrators often focused on violent topics, such as Nazism and guns.

The signs were certainly there, but they were vague. Many kids write about violent imagery at that age. Can you imagine the essays Stephen King must have turned in as a child? How do you determine which boys are just being creative, and which are offering up a red flag?

It isn't until after the fact that the information comes together and the picture becomes clear. Yet even when concerns were shared with other staff, they were not dealt with. In case after case I found that the information was there, and the red flag was raised but someone dropped the ball.

A teacher was aware of violent writings, a principal knew about minor disciplinary problems, a psychiatrist knew about emotional disorders, a court knew about legal troubles but nobody was getting the whole picture until it was too late.

They either assumed someone else would deal with it, that it was outside of their scope of power, or that it wasn't anything major to be concerned with so they let it slide. There was no chain of command in place, so the information was dropped with deadly consequence.

Children knew, parents knew, teachers knew. Children were afraid adults wouldn't listen, adults were afraid other adults wouldn't listen. We can't afford to sit back and do nothing anymore.

If you have reason to believe that someone you know may be planning a mass shooting, tell someone. In Colorado and many other sates there is a Safe2Tell program where you can share concerns of possible school violence with trained staff who can then pass it on to the proper officials. If your state does not have a Safe2Tell program yet, help start one at safe2tellusa.org/start.htm