According to the organization’s website, signs of a potential school shooter or someone who may need help include:
- A strong fascination or obsession with firearms
- Excessive study of firearms and/or mass shootings
- Exhibiting excessive overreactions or aggressive behavior over minor incidents
- Gestures of violence
- Low commitment or aspirations toward school and/or future.
- Those who harm themselves or others
- Victims of long-term bullying
- Someone who brags about having access to firearms
Other potential threats include social isolation, threatening behavior and talking about plans for suicide. Get the full list of warning signs here.
According to Sandy Hook Promise, which exists to prevent shootings, violence, and other harmful acts in schools, 80 percent of school shooters told someone of their violent plans prior to the attack.
Based on several case studies and research, SHP has found that most mass shootings are planned six months to a year before they are carried out, and in almost every documented case, there were warning signs that were not acted upon or shared.
