School safety, security, and violence prevention resource

I am writing this morning, not to share new thoughts, suggestions and ideas that will help you make sense out of another mass shooting in one of our schools.  No, today I write because my mind and heart aches and writing is a way to excise the pain, the agony and the frustration.  Why frustration?  I still believe that many of the scores of mass murders in our schools (I know.  What about Las Vegas and all those other non-school shootings?  Don’t they count?) could have been prevented, or, if not stopped, at least mitigated or (the deaths and injuries) minimized.

I believe a new attitude and state of readiness is crucial because these events are now epidemic. Yes, there is that!

First, allow me a moment of I-Told-You-So.  Not to gloat.  Gawd no.  But to point out that I have authored maybe 20 or more posts dissecting the active shooter phenomenon, identified all of the common characteristics of these kind of sick and/or evil attackers (The latest shooter is & was sick, psychotic, and a natural-born hater; foreign & domestic terrorists are pure evil, I believe), have pointed out what our congress can *& should do.  But, still, these events keep happening.  I speculate that in 2017 and in 2018, more people will be killed than by gunfire than in the entire decade in fricking Vietnam!

February 14, 2018, Introducing Nikolaus Cruz, 19.

Rather than reviewing characteristics and pre-event activities of all active-killers, let’s talk about Nick Cruz.  Why?  This young man actually is the perfect example of a young man waving a Red Flag, maybe even hoping someone would look at what he was doing and to stop him cold.  His personality, school performance and activities match all of the characteristics and actions of a Model Active Shooter/Killer!  Here are bits and pieces I have picked up in just an hour of investigation:

• A student told the local tv news that Cruz was known to have guns at home.  A Bona Fide Red Flag!
• “He talked a lot about guns and knives, almost every day (A Profound Red Flag), but no one took him seriously…”
• Cruz was an outcast.  Another Red Flag!
• Cruz was banned from returning to campus wearing a backpack (he was under suspension at the time of the shooting).
• Prior to the event administrators sent an email(s) to teachers warning them about Nikolaus Cruz.
• Cruz threatened several students in 2017 (Red Flag, Duh).
• Cruz posted “nutso” statements, threats and other alarming “manifestos” on social media (Another Signature of Danger/f you see something, say something!).

Apologies if this post seems scattered and desultory.  I am in a free flow of thought zone right now.  But let me assure you, if you peruse some of my 210 posts on Keep Schools Safe & ActionAgainstViolence.com, you will be able to read my suggestions on how to recognize a possible shooter (in your midsts), how to ready yourself and others for a possible event, how to report your fears, and what to do in case this happens in your school or workplace.

 

You can also peruse my posts on www.actionagainstviolence.com about the active killer(s) and a preventive philosophy called “Left of Bang.”  A hint:  This paradigm will promote skills and awareness that will allow you to do something BEFORE (Left) the “Bang” goes down!

Until my next post, stay safe.

The Hammer

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