Shooting Alone: The Pre-Attack Experiences and Behaviors of U.S. Solo Mass Murderers

• NCJ Number: 250734
• Journal: Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 62 Issue: 3 Dated: May 2017 Pages: 710-714
• Author(s): Paul Gill; James Silver; John Horgan; Emily Corner
• Date Published: May 2017
• Length: 5 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2013-ZA-BX-0002
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
• Publication Format: Article; Document (Online)
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical); Report (Study/Research); Report (Grant Sponsored); Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Presented in part at the American Society of Criminology Annual Meeting, November 18-21, 2015, in Washington, DC.

Annotation

This study analyzed the sociodemographic, developmental, antecedent attack, attack preparation, and commission properties of 115 mass murderers between 1990 and 2014.

Abstract

The results indicate that mass murderer attacks are usually the culmination of a complex mix of personal, political, and social drivers that crystallize at the same time to drive the individual down the path of violent action. The study focused upon areas related to prior criminal engagement, leakage, and attack location familiarity. Whether the violence comes to fruition is usually a combination of the availability and vulnerability of suitable targets that suit the heady mix of personal and political grievances and the individual's capability to engage in an attack from both a psychological and technical capability standpoint. Many individual cases share a mixture of unfortunate personal life circumstances coupled with an intensification of beliefs/grievances that later developed into the idea to engage in violence. (Publisher abstract modified)