Would you report your family member?
A teenager plots an attack at her school. She gathers guns and ammunition — even fireworks to make improvised “bombs.” She details plans to carry out this attack, to include timelines and stages, taking into account school response procedures for such an event. Certainly someone would recognize this plot developing, or at least recognize something is wrong….right? Would you recognize the signs of someone who is plotting such an attack? Would you report them to authorities? What if it was a member of your family?
A Maryland man had to answer these questions…all of them. After finding that his daughter’s diary contained detailed plans for a mass shooting at her school, he called the school to report the potential threat. The teenager was removed from class and law enforcement responded to remove her from the school and get her medical evaluation. Another tragic school shooting was averted. Unfortunately, this can’t happen all the time….or can it?
It may be a bit presumptuous to imply that all school shootings can be prevented. But how many times do we see the same themes after a school shooting? After the fact, we hear friends, family, or other observers say how the shooter had been depressed, violent, or talked about violence. There are often indicators that were either missed or dismissed. While it is always easy in hindsight, there often seems to be some puzzle pieces that could have been put together to show some identifiable picture — a picture that could have indicated some warning signs.
After the Sandy Hook shooting, a former friend of the shooter discussed his interest in violence, mass murders, and serial killers before the event. Even former teachers remembered his unusual preoccupation with violence. After the Virginia Tech shooting, classmates of the shooter recall his shy and odd behavior, even his violent writings. He had encounters with campus police and was referred for mental evaluation. Yet both of these individuals slipped through and exacted horrific violence.
Not everyone that is going through a hard time will be violent. Not everyone with some form of mental health challenges will commit violent acts. Care and attention need to be taken not to stigmatize people suffering from depression or some mental illness. However, we do need to be aware of others’ mental state and be prepared to intervene. This may not, and likely should not, require an immediate call to the police. Maybe it is just a focused conversation with a friend to let them know you care. Maybe it is notifying their family and other friends so they can get support. Or, maybe sometimes it will require some intervention from law enforcement or other authorities. Think about what you would and how you would respond if you were faced with a similar situation…would you recognize warning signs? Would you report your family member?
