Since 31 people were killed earlier this month in two mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, police say at least 30 individuals have been detained on threats of mass shootings. Of those arrested, more than half of the threats were made against schools, universities or hospitals. While not all of the threats involved social media, … [Read more...]
At least 30 arrested for mass shooting threats in past three weeks
Do mass shooters share common traits?
The Violence Project's research into commonalities between mass shooters was highlighted by KFOX TV. View the segment or read more here. Source: KFOX TV Author: John Purvis … [Read more...]
Why Isn’t There Already An Algorithm to Predict School Shooters?
The Violence Project's data was featured in an article by Ira Israel about how we identify mass shooters before they start shooting. Israel highlighted the variables our database features, facts about school shooters from Dr. Jillian Peterson's Ted Talk, and the commonality of mass shooters to experience childhood trauma. "Doctors Peterson and … [Read more...]
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...]
Mass shootings can be contagious, research shows
Are mass shootings truly contagious? According to expert, Dr. Jillian Peterson, it's a form of social contagion, somewhat like a suicide contagion - that's when a high-profile suicide leads to more people to take their own lives. For example, following the suicide of actor Robin Williams, researchers documented a 10% spike in suicides in the months … [Read more...]