Potential shooters need lifesaving human connection.

Right now, attempts to reach out to them are far and few in between.

 

Connection works.

Aaron Stark would have been a mass shooter. But a friend reached out. Hear his story below.

 
 

Perpetrators of Violence are usually also victims of violence.

 

In our research, we found that most shooters chose violence out of retribution. They choose it because they’re afraid, angry, and believe they are out of options.

Many of them have a history of being bullied. Many have endured months if not years of horrific verbal, emotional, sexual or physical abuse. They feel powerless, trapped, and shunned. The internet is often the only place where they feel safe.

The online communities they find on the dark web give them a needed outlet. As a result, they feel supported.

Unfortunately, these sites and messaging boards don’t give them a way out. They don’t give them a way to handle feelings of shame, hurt, or anger. They don’t give the resources they need to express their anger in healthy ways. 4Chan and subreddit communities fan the flames of their anger.

It becomes too much for them to handle.

So they start making violent plans.

They have moments of doubt.

Just this past spring, the Buffalo NY shooter wrote this in his journal:

“Every time I think maybe I shouldn’t commit to an attack I spend 5 min on /pol/*, then my motivation returns.”

*/pol/ is an anonymous political message board on 4Chan, allegedly known for its widespread racist, discriminatory, and violent content

He had a moment of doubt, but no one was there to capture that moment and help him find a better path.

 

They need to be redirected.

These people need others to connect with them in social media groups. They need to be given meditation and anger management tools. They need access to mental health professionals.

They need hope. Let’s give it to them.

Additional Resources:

  • The Violence Project

    https://www.theviolenceproject.org/

    Well-researched statistics on mass shooters in America.

  • US Government Stats

    https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/public-mass-shootings-database-amasses-details-half-century-us-mass-shootings