By Dr. Katherine Ramsland
(Continued)
Anatomy of Mass Murder
Those people most vulnerable to such inner demons have had a difficult time adjusting to life's hard knocks and accepting that things don't always work out. Instead of finding solace or using disappointment to grow stronger, they dwell on what's missing, broken, or inaccessible until it becomes like a rock in their gut. They're always reminded of it, even in the mist of happier moments.
We do not yet know what behaviors will predict sudden mass murder, but some behaviors show up in these incidents more than others, and they can be linked to a collection of factors that appear to be statistically significant in risk assessment studies. The fantasy is central: it becomes an obsession, mixed with the need for control, and when it evolves into a clear and specific plan of action that inspires preparation, violence more likely to occur than not.
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| Charles Carl Roberts IV, younger |
Some fantasies of killing numerous people are victim-specific, while others involve a symbolic target, such as employees in a specific job category — teachers, stockbrokers, supervisors—and yet even the victim-specific attacks may actually bring harm to people with no resemblance to the victim type. Some incidents have clear causal factors, while others appear altogether inexplicable.
The fantasy itself may begin early in life, often when the person has been unable to deal with something. He (or she) grew angry and mentally rehearsed revenge or punishment, which brought a sense of relief and greater control. Since such thoughts are socially forbidden, the person may then withdraw to nurse the comforting — even erotic — images in private. They feel better blaming others, and as those others continue to "cause" discomfort or disappointment, the person experiences a loss of control and may then take steps to make the fantasy real. That is, he must destroy others before they hinder or destroy him. The offender perceives the potential victims not as people but as targets.
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Community Stunned By Milkman's Savage Execution of Amish School Girls
Text of Roberts' Suicide Note
School Massacres in the Crime Library
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