Mass shootings have become such a regular fixture on the news that it has been difficult to stay on top of each new incident. In fact, according to a recent article in the New York Times, there have been 26 mass shootings in summer 2019 alone, leaving 126 people dead. Of course, it’s no secret that this type of violence is a problem in the United … [Read more...]
10 Undeniable Facts About Mass Shootings in America
How suicide prevention may help stop mass killers before they start shooting
A potential predictor of mass shootings is suicidality. Dr. Jillian Peterson shared that her latest analysis showed that 80 percent of the perpetrators were suicidal before the shooting, which she says it is key to understanding their actions. “In every case, this was intended to be their final act. They are murders, but they are murder-suicides. … [Read more...]
Trying to understand and prevent mass shootings
Whenever there’s a mass shooting, like the three last week, we ask ourselves two questions: Why? And, how can we keep it from happening again? The Violence Project, a nonpartisan think tank, strives to answer those questions. Under a grant from the National Institute of Justice, the research arm of the U.S. Department of Justice, the Violence … [Read more...]
Guns, Hate, and Inaction: Ken Rudin’s Political Junkie Episode #289
The horrific acts of gun violence in El Paso and Dayton sound awfully familiar, and so has been the political reaction. As for the argument that this is more a mental health issue than a gun issue, Jillian Peterson, a psychology professor at Hamline University, talks about the mindset of those who commit gun crimes. It’s maddening enough for … [Read more...]
Mass Shootings and Mental Illness: A Teaching Moment?
In the wake of last weekend's mass shootings in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas, President Donald Trump cited "mentally ill monsters," as a source of violence in a press briefing Monday. "We must reform our mental health laws to better identify mentally disturbed individuals who may commit acts of violence and make sure those people not only get … [Read more...]