"Peterson is a criminologist who studies the life histories of mass shooters, and when she has gone back decades later to interview perpetrators who committed an attack in their teens or early 20s, “they don’t even recognize the person that did that.” She said the perpetrators describe feeling “disconnected” from their murderous earlier … [Read more...]
Young men, guns and the prefrontal cortex
What drives mass shooters? Grievance, despair, and anger are more likely triggers than mental illness, experts say.
"Forensic psychologist Jillian Peterson, cofounder of The Violence Project, a think tank dedicated to reducing violence, said mass shooters are typically younger men, channeling their pain and anger through acts of violence and aggression. For many mass shooters, Peterson said, their path to violence begins with early childhood trauma. They often … [Read more...]
How ending child abuse and improving mental health care could prevent mass shootings
The Violence Project's co-founders spoke with reporters from Global News about our research into the commonalities behind mass shooters. The most prevalent commonality after gun access was childhood abuse and neglect (92% of cases). This article examines the mass shooting in Nova Scotia in April 2020, and uses Drs. Peterson and Densley's … [Read more...]
Boulder Shooting Suspect Charged With 10 Counts of Murder
BOULDER, Colo.—Monday afternoon was quiet at the King Soopers grocery store on Table Mesa Drive. A smattering of shoppers meandered through the aisles. Several waited for Covid-19 vaccinations at the pharmacy. At the Starbucks , Logan Smith brewed a coffee for his friend and co-worker Denny Stong. Then a man burst through the store’s front … [Read more...]
Database Of Mass Shooters Revised And Expanded
Multiple news outlets picked up our announcement of the Expanded and Updated Mass Shooter Database. You can read the update at Yahoo News, Business Insider, and the Associated Press. Sources: Hamline University, The Violence Project … [Read more...]