Publishers Weekly interviewed Jillian Peterson and James Densley about their upcoming book, “The Violence Project: How to Stop a Mass Shooting Epidemic.”
Interviewer: Lisa Butts
Source: Publishers Weekly
Preview:
Did your research change the way you think about mass shooters?
Densley: I would say the research actually changed us as people. When you sit down with victims’ families, the perpetrators’ families, with survivors, and hear their stories, you cannot help but be affected by that. It changes who you are as a human being. It’s been the most rewarding work that we’ve ever done, and the most challenging. We assumed we’d come across a lot of darkness, but we also found a lot of hope.
Peterson: Yes, the most surprising thing for me was how hopeful I felt after three years of being immersed in tragedy. The other thing that surprised me is that people started reaching out to us. Whether it was a perpetrator’s mother or a former social worker, people desperately wanted to tell their stories and wanted their stories to be part of the solution.