Profile of a School Shooter: Ingredient 14 - The high Cost of Inadequate Mental Health Care

It is troubling that many of the solutions to mass shootings choose to focus on arming people to stop the shooter, or preventing the shooter from getting to people once they are already firing their weapon.

As of February 2018, the vast majority (90% - Quinnipac, ) of Americans are in favor of background checks to keep weapons out of the hands of mentally ill people with violent potential.

It is a simple, common sense suggestion, but how do we determine who has violent potential and who doesn't before they actually at on their urges?

Mental illness is a very broad category. Suffering from depression does not make one a danger to society, and having a personality disorder does not equal violent intent by any means.

In 1966, the Texas University shooter had seen a psychiatrist, and reported feelings of rage and a desire to harm people. No actions were taken to evaluate him, or prevent him from harming others.

Often so subtle or inconclusive the red flags were overlooked until it was too late. Violent obsessions, disturbing writings, gory artwork, and even outright threats of revenge were present. In some cases parents had the information, in others a teacher or counselor, while still in others police were involved but the courts were unable to share that information with educators.

The red flags are always there, but somebody somewhere needs to know what to do with them.

Kip Kinkle looked just like the boy next door, and by most accounts he was. Until he got caught with a gun at school. He was suspended, and sent home where he killed his parents and returned to the school the next day opening fire in the lunchroom. It was only after the fact that he talked about the hallucinations and psychosis.

At least one of the Columbine shooters was in treatment, the other showed signs of clinical depression. Their writings showed violent imagery, they were attracted to subjects such as Nazi's, Charles Manson and weaponry. There were red flags, but again they were missed until after the fact. 

The Red Lake Shooter was on antidepressants at the time of the shooting, and had recently been treated for a suicide attempt. Though he was Native American he frequented Nazi forums online.

Prior to the Sandy Hook shooting you find that the shooters mother had sought help from professionals many times. It has been reported that she took him to the E.R., and even had him hospitalized at different times. She also called police for assistance on numerous occasions. It appears that her most recent attempt to commit him may have been what pushed him to cross over.

Too many times the information was there but someone thought it was someone else's job to follow through. In the end nobody knew whose job it really was, they dropped the ball and it was too late.

It isn't the mental illness we need to worry about. Too many violent individuals are slipping through the cracks. The parents of these boys often seek help with their sons behavioral issues only to find there is no help to be had.

If we mean to stop mass shootings in America, we need better access to mental health treatment for everyone. We more options for treatment for those who show violent tendencies. We needed stronger counseling programs available in our schools for the students and the teachers to air concerns.



Originally written around 2010, updated 2018
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/04/timeline-mental-health-america/