WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT SCHOOL SHOOTINGS

As is apparent in the "circular" initial media reporting, all of the facts about the Newtown, CT school shooting are not all in. Only after analysis of the incidents significant facts can we draw lessons learned. The significance of lessons learned only have meaning if they are applied before the next violent incident that can be prevented or mitigated.

A common strand in the majority of these mass shootings is SOMEONE SOMEWHERE was concerned at sometime about the shooter who went on the mass shooting rampage. The shooter's pre-incident actions or works "LEAKED" either their intentions or a feeling to others that something isn't right about them. That uneasy feeling is was based on a behavior (something the shooter said, wrote, looked, acted, purchased, etc.) or a reaction to bad news to them (being fired, negative evaluation, relationship changes. This caused family members, friends, co-workers, care givers, neighbors, fellow students or teachers, or administrators to feel or think "something" might be amiss, BUT IT IS PROBABLY nothing....?

The number one prevention step to preventing or mitigating these rampage shootings is quite simply:

1. SEE SOMETHING OR HEAR SOMETHING, YOU HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING !!!

Listening to that "little voice" that gives you a feeling that a person's words or behaviors make you nervous is significant enough for you to discuss this with your friends, family, supervisors, security, or law enforcement. That person you are concerned about can even be a family member and remember the best way of taking care of them is to refer them for professional help. Often times good people only see a "piece to the puzzle" and telling someone else can help raise awareness and complete the puzzle, and prevent a tragedy. Often violent mass shooter-to-be give others indicators (Columbine shooters, Va Tech shooters, Congresswoman's shooter, Aurora Movie Theater Shooters) called "leakage" by threat assessment authorities which go unrecognized and unreported. Most prevented school shootings are due to these "leaks" being reported.  SEE SOMETHING, HEAR SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING.  

The number one response step for an emergent act of violence is:

2.  RUN...HIDE...FIGHT...  (Watch the Video)

IF EVERYONE THOUGHT ABOUT THESE TWO CONCEPTS, DISCUSSED THESE WITH LOVED ONES AND CO-WORKERS, WE COULD PREVENT, AND REDUCE THE NUMBER OF TRAGEDIES THAT HAPPENS.