Wave Of Copycat Suicides

According to Robert Olson of the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, “A cluster, in this case, is defined as multiple suicidal behaviors or suicides that fall within an accelerated time frame, and sometimes within a defined geographical area.” It is common for such “clusters” to become prevalent in institutional settings, such as schools and hospitals. These clusters have occurred in the past when public figures have taken their own lives. After the death of Brendan Kangas, five other suicide attempts were committed over a span of five months within the school district (Brent). Brendan’s death seemed to spark suicidal behaviors throughout his community. A hypothesis on why this occurs is that an initial suicide, no matter on a macro or micro level, often gives others who feel hopeless and depressed “permission to die” (Goleman, 2) . It is important that prevention programs are put into place and the community is educated to prevent the culture associated with these

The chances of being a victim of a mass shooting are a little less than your odds at being struck by lightning (Fund, 2012). If you take a look at our nation’s history you will see that the rate at which these killings take place are on the decline. This fact begs the question then what are the similarities with all these mass murderers? Is it the mental-health aspect of these murderers that link them all together? Is there a connection between the mass murderers that somehow will allow us to find these people before the acts? Finally, what is the reason that these mass murders are taking place? Are they doing it for fame, love, revenge or power? All of these questions have sparked several studies about these murderers in order to figure out

Another consideration is whether firearm violence is more a matter of harm to self or others. Suicides account for 61 % of all firearm fatalities in the United States in 2010 as recorded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (qtd. In Bowen, Injury 2015). In spite of such evidence, Gallup polling data from 2013 showed that 48 % of adult Americans blame the mental health system a great deal for mass shootings in the United States, whereas fewer 40 % blame easy access to guns; an inadequate mental health system is perceived as the top cause of mass shootings (qtd. In Bowen, Saad 2013).

Suicide is the act of killing yourself. It is the 11th leading cause of death in America (CDC 2009). I have never had any intentions on committing suicide and I never really understood why people commit suicide that’s why I chose this topic to help me understand what problems people go through that makes them do such a thing. Sociology is the study of social behavior and the culture of humans. There are numerous reasons like financial stress, family problems or mental health disorders that lead to suicide. The number one cause of suicide is untreated depression. The issues that were just listed are some social conditions from society that results in a suicidal

In “Talking About Mental Health After a Mass Shootings is a Cop-out” (2017), Fareed Zakaria justifies the idea that the main issue causing mass shootings is a “cop-out”. Zakaria elucidates this assertion by explaining that mass shootings are unjustly blamed on mental health rather than guns or the intentions of the person, as well as providing data that supports the idea that “gun violence across the United States find a similarly tight correlation” (6). He uses facts derived from reliable data, that observe the relation of gun violence to gun laws, in order to convince the audience of the real issue, leading people to start blaming the real problem rather than mental health. Zakaria addresses those who unreasonably blame mental health because

This article analyzes three cases of mass shootings that took place within the United States, their most recent example being the mass shooting that took place at the University of California in Santa Barbara. Within each case, the study interestingly noted that the media often highlighted "individual aspects" of the shooter, such as internal struggles with mental health and histories of harassment by peers. Blum and Jaworski found that the media does not often include social factors, such as types of strain suffered by the shooters nor the fact that many were isolated from social interaction and connection

April 20th, 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold went to their school in Littleton, CO. They preceded to kill 12 and injure 21 students and faculty before killing themselves. Columbine shooting is infamous as one of the worst school shootings in US history. Harris and Klebold were known as outcasts and were ridiculed regularly. It has been said that they were out for revenge on the school for being mistreated (New York Daily). This extreme case is the cause of a broken psyche due to repeated blows from peers. “Harassment and bullying have been linked to 75% of school-shooting incidents” (Statistics). Not every case will lead to a mass shooting, but is more plausible to lead to suicide. Teenagers are taking their own lives, because they can

Media today plays a big part in the mass shootings believe it or not. “Media contagion” is largely responsible for the increase in these often deadly outbursts”(Media Contagion). By showing the number of casualties on media this can give ideas to the next shooter. The next possible shooter could get an idea of trying to outdo the previous shooter by attempting to kill more people and to do more damage. There was a scenario where a TV reporter posted a video of himself gunning down two ex colleagues and posted the video all over Twitter and Facebook, the next day after this all occurred the shots of him gunning down innocent people from the shooters perspective were plastered all over the newspaper. “The Daily News said that it published the images “to convey the true scale” of the attack “at a time when it is so easy for the public to become inured to such senseless violence”(Follman, Mark). This shows how it can influence other mentally ill people to shoot to kill and shoot to kill a mass number of people. This all has been researched and could be somewhat prevented by not so much giving out the details of an incident like this and giving titles out like “greatest mass shooting” to influence other people.

Most of the recent shootings seem to be contagious as their shooters’ plans and motives are almost all quite alike. These shooters have set a “stereotypical shooter” profile. They are typically male, white, and around the age of 20. Of all the mass shootings, only one was done by a woman (Mass Shootings in the U.S.). They are usually quite smart, part of a middle class family, and are normally quiet, lonely, and introverted. They are almost always socially awkward and have few-no friends. Yet, no one expects them to kill others as they are quiet. These shooters keep everything to themselves which may be one of the reasons why they are full of hatred. Often, they consider suicide, yet they refuse to talk to any sort of counselor. They are almost always constantly on a computer, frequently playing violent video games. Their shooting plan is almost always pre-meditated far in advance. They plan to make their shooting “great” and to ‘gain fame’ for their mass shooting. After the shooting, most commonly, they kill themselves.

Recently the online magazine Kelly Gallagher posted an article on their website entitled “America’s Killing Contagion.” This article was written on the frenzy of mass shootings that have happened so frequently in the past few years. The article highlights not only how easy it is for people with vengeful intentions to obtain firearms, but also how the media can make it even harder to prevent these tragedies by encouraging others to commit similar crimes (Gallagher 3 & 5).

Stories of mass shootings have been broadcasted via media coverage for many decades, with the number of shootings increasing rather than decreasing. The question of why such mass shootings continue to occur more frequently has provoked many thoughts to circulate society regarding why this happens, raising questions about what is best for the public’s safety as well as how to  inform the public about what has occurred. According to Mark Follman, the national affairs editor who leads a team which is researching and reporting gun violence for a renounced magazine, “Mother Jones”,  “there is a growing body of forensic evidence that mass shooters emulate their most infamous predecessors...there are now clear indications that some individuals who plan and carry out these crimes are influenced by sensational news

Media today plays a big part in the mass shootings believe it or not. “Media contagion” is largely responsible for the increase in these often deadly outbursts”(Media Contagion). By showing the number

This piece of the complex puzzle of mass shootings was clear in the shooting at Columbine High School, where the two murders sought to be in the status of the Oklahoma City Bombing. Vester Lee Flagan researched Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, the Columbine murders, before taking two lives on live air in a fit of rage on air. The element of glory was also illustrated by Adam Lanza, the murder at Sandy Hook Elementary School, who also idolized the Columbine shooting, sought to be famous through his contorted reality. This element of being famous through massacring the innocent can only be done if there is a lack of guidance to let the evil thought gestate into an inhuman reality that brings chaos and destruction to civilized

There is an assumption that if you understand the minds of serial killers, or persons who commit mass shootings, that it may help prevent mass shootings. “Mass shootings are not on the rise, but have held steady over three decades, randomly clustering in time to trick our brains into finding a pattern of increase where none actually exists” (Shermer 3). Mass shootings happen at varying times without rhyme or reason. Some think that a psychological disorder or some genetic defect could be the reason people commit these crimes. Although we cannot prevent mass shootings, we can educate on how mental health issues can be a precursor to such a tragedy, and how better laws can create a safer environment.

3 years after Columbine, the Secret Service found that 78% of killers have a history of attempted suicide or suicidal thoughts (Cullen). An example of a suicidal murderer is Eric Harris, co-conspirator and executor of the mass shooting at Columbine. He was suicidal, and wrote journal entries like this one: “Such a sad, desolate, lonely unsalvageable I feel I am. Not fair, NOT FAIR!!! I wanted happiness!! I never got it!!! Let's sum up my life, the most miserable existence in the history of time” (Cullen). Most depressed people start by blaming themselves, but then the blame shifts outward. They typically blame their ex-girlfriend, boss, or classmates, but mass murderers blame society, and they become willing to show a devastating example, make them pay, and die in the process. In the killer’s mind, it is a win-win (Cullen). Harris’ thoughts began to shift, and when he was about to devastate Columbine, he had this to say: “In 26.5 hours I’ll be dead, and in happiness. The little zombie human fags will know their errors and be forever suffering and mournful. HAHAHA” (Cullen). The next day he and Klebold did the damage they set out to do, and Eric Harris’ life ended soon after. The suicidally depressed killers have the notorious phrase “If I go down, you’re going with me” imprinted in their head, and they have proved that they can use that phrase in real life, to the horror of everyone