Cold Methodical Killers: The Psychology of Mass Shooters

And how to stop them before they kill

Photo by Kony Xyzx on Unsplash

Ihave been a psychotherapist for 30 years, and during that time I’ve worked as a specialist in forensics. Studying what motivates murderers has been a large part of my work.

While no two killers are exactly the same, it’s important to know that human behavior tends to follow recognizable patterns and is thus understandable. Behavioral science is based upon pattern recognition. Those of us who work in this profession research and analyze data to come to conclusions about human problems.

While society at large seems mystified by mass killers there is much about them that forensic specialists understand.

Whether a shooter or a bomber, mass killers follow patterns. They are a distinct category of murderer. Increasing our understanding of them will allow us to take actions that can ultimately save lives.

It’s a myth that most mass killers are mentally ill in the classic sense. Rarely are they psychotic (suffering from delusions and hallucinations). More often they are clear-minded, cold, methodical and plan their attacks extensively before they murder. They target specific groups (most often racial or religious minorities, in some cases female college students) and locations for…