Police have found the suspect who shot and killed an elderly victim and posted footage of the deed on Facebook. He took his own life before he could be taken into custody. His act was yet another example of a new trend — “performance violence” on social media. From the live torture of a mentally disabled teenager in Chicago to the performance … [Read more...]
Why the trend of posting gruesome acts online?
Healing from Violence
Dr. Jillian Peterson appeared on Fox 9 News to discuss how to heal after mass violence. She spoke about mental illness, law enforcement, grief, and the importance of productive conversations. Watch the interview here. Source: Fox 9 News … [Read more...]
Local Expert provides insight into mass shootings
The Violence Project's Jillian Peterson spoke with reporters at Fox 9 News about the recent mass shooting in Orlando. She discussed the difficulty in predicting lone-wolf mass shootings, the role of social media, and healing after mass violence. Read the full article here. … [Read more...]
How mass shootings became our norm
The image of students running from Columbine High School was seared into the mind of those old enough to understand it. That image, of people running from a shooter, would repeat over and over again all across America. “I think we are at the point where we as a society are sick of it and people are really fed up,” Hamline Professor Jillian … [Read more...]
Mental illness and violence: Not so easy to connect the dots
"The focus of the news coverage surrounding the Germanwings Flight 9525 tragedy has gravitated toward co-pilot Andreas Lubitz’s mental health. Reports of depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, psychosomatic complaints and psychiatric medications have emerged. Reaching for psychiatric diagnosis as an explanation for mass violence is familiar … [Read more...]