(NEW) Mass Shooting Study What YOU Need to Know

Tom Grieve
30 Oct 202314:34
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThis video script delves into the reality of public mass shootings in the United States, challenging the media's portrayal and political weaponization of these tragedies. It presents data from a National Institute of Justice study, examining the motivations, mental health, and warning signs of mass shooters. The script dispels myths about the prevalence of 'assault weapons' and highlights the high rate of suicide among perpetrators. It also discusses the role of 'insiders' and the surprisingly frequent occurrence of leaked plans before shootings. The video concludes with a focus on school and workplace shootings, noting that non-law enforcement individuals are almost as effective as law enforcement in stopping school shooters.

Takeaways
  • 🔫 The script discusses public mass shootings as tragic acts that are often politically weaponized to drive an anti-gun narrative, despite their relatively low death toll compared to other causes.
  • 📉 The death toll from public mass shootings is significantly lower than that of other causes such as lawn mower accidents, ladder falls, auto accidents, and even constipation.
  • 💡 The media's sensationalization of public mass shootings may be due to their shocking nature and potential political usefulness, rather than a focus on saving lives through policy.
  • 🔒 The script suggests that focusing on 'common sense pool control' might be more statistically relevant to saving lives than gun control, given the higher death rate associated with pools.
  • 🔎 The National Institute of Justice study mentioned in the script surveys all American mass public shootings from 1966 to the present, covering aspects like firearms, shooters, targets, mental health, and motivations.
  • 🔫 The script reveals that public mass shooters often display high levels of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, with a significant percentage being suicidal before or during the act.
  • 🧠 Mental health crises are common among mass shooters, with nearly all being in some state of mental health crisis leading up to their actions.
  • 🚨 Warning signs are often present before mass shootings, with about half of the perpetrators leaking or tipping their plans in advance to various parties.
  • 👥 In cases of school and workplace shootings, the shooters are frequently insiders with a special connection to the location of the incident.
  • 🔑 The majority of firearms used in public mass shootings are handguns, with so-called assault weapons being used in a smaller percentage of cases.
  • 🏢 Workplace shootings are more common on certain days of the week and months, with employment issues being a significant motivating factor.
Q & A

  • What is the primary argument made in the transcript regarding public mass shootings?

    -The transcript argues that public mass shootings, while tragic, are often politically weaponized to advance an anti-gun narrative, despite accounting for a small fraction of deaths in America compared to other causes.

  • What is the comparison made between the number of deaths caused by public mass shootings and other causes?

    -The transcript compares the number of deaths caused by public mass shootings to those caused by lawn mowers, ladder falls, auto accidents, erotic asphyxiation, constipation, and pools, highlighting that pools in particular have a higher death toll per year in the United States.

  • What is the role of media in the portrayal of public mass shootings?

    -The media is criticized for sensationalizing and glamorizing public mass shootings, possibly due to their political usefulness and their barbarity, which makes them newsworthy.

  • What does the National Institute of Justice study cover?

    -The study surveys all American mass public shootings from 1966 to the present, exploring the firearms used, the shooters, their targets, mental health, warning signs, and motivating factors.

  • What is the common trend among public mass shooters regarding suicidality?

    -The transcript highlights that public mass shooters often display high levels of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, with a significant percentage being suicidal before or during their acts.

  • What is the role of mental health in public mass shootings?

    -Mental health plays a significant role, with nearly all mass public shooters being in some state of mental health crisis in the days or weeks leading up to their shooting.

  • What are the typical warning signs prior to a mass shooting event?

    -There are often warning signs, with about half of the perpetrators leaking or tipping their plans in advance, and about 23.4% leaving behind some sort of legacy token, like a manifesto.

  • What is the relationship between the perpetrators and their victims in school and workplace shootings?

    -In both school and workplace shootings, it is common for the perpetrators to be classified as 'insiders,' meaning they have some special inside connection to the scene of their crime.

  • What is the preferred weapon of public mass shooters according to the transcript?

    -Handguns are the overwhelmingly preferred weapon of public mass shooters, used 77.2% of the time, with so-called assault weapons being used in about 25.1% of cases.

  • What is the demographic breakdown of the shooters in the study?

    -The shooters are predominantly male (97.7%), with ages ranging from 11 to 70, and an average age of 34.1. They are mostly white (52.3%), followed by black (20.9%), Latino (8.1%), Asian (6.4%), Middle Eastern (4.2%), and Native American (1.8%).

  • How often do school shootings get stopped by someone other than law enforcement?

    -School shootings are stopped by someone other than law enforcement, including concealed carriers or Good Samaritans, almost as frequently as they are stopped by law enforcement, with percentages of 21% and 28% respectively.

Outlines
00:00
🔫 Public Mass Shootings and Media Sensationalism

The paragraph discusses the impact of public mass shootings and their portrayal in the media. It argues that these incidents, despite being relatively rare compared to other causes of death such as accidents or medical issues, are heavily politicized and used to push an anti-gun agenda. The speaker points out the irony that more people die from accidents involving lawn mowers or pools than from mass shootings involving AR-15s, yet the focus remains on gun control. The paragraph also introduces a National Institute of Justice study that will be explored in the video, which surveys all American mass shootings from 1966 to the present, including the firearms used, the shooters' backgrounds, their targets, mental health issues, warning signs, and motivations.

05:02
🔍 In-Depth Analysis of Public Mass Shooters' Characteristics

This paragraph delves into the characteristics of public mass shooters as revealed by the National Institute of Justice study. It highlights the high rate of suicidal thoughts among these individuals, with a significant percentage showing signs of suicide before or during their acts. The paragraph also touches on the mental health crises often experienced by the shooters leading up to the events. Furthermore, it discusses the common warning signs that mass shooters exhibit, such as leaking their plans or leaving behind a manifesto, and the relationship between the shooters and their victims, with a focus on 'insiders' who have a connection to the location of the shooting. The paragraph also provides demographic information about the shooters, including their gender, age, race, criminal history, and military background.

10:03
📊 Detailed Breakdown of Workplace and School Shootings

The final paragraph provides a detailed analysis of workplace and school shootings, drawing from multiple studies. It reveals patterns such as the days of the week and months when these incidents are more likely to occur, as well as common motivating factors like employment issues and interpersonal conflicts. The paragraph also discusses the warning signs exhibited by shooters, including aggression, stress, and depression, and the frequency with which these signs are displayed. Additionally, it examines the methods by which school shootings are stopped, highlighting the role of law enforcement and non-law enforcement individuals in preventing further harm. The paragraph concludes with a quote from Stephen Hawking about the illusion of knowledge, emphasizing the importance of accurate information in understanding these complex issues.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Public Mass Shootings
Public mass shootings refer to incidents where multiple people are shot in a public place. In the video's context, it is an act of violence that is both tragic and politically charged, often used to advance an anti-gun narrative. The script mentions that despite their high-profile nature, they account for a small fraction of total deaths in America compared to other causes, such as accidents or medical conditions.
💡Suicidality
Suicidality is the inclination or tendency towards self-harm or suicide. The video script highlights that public mass shooters often exhibit suicidal thoughts and behaviors, either before or during their acts. It is noted that for many shooters, the act is a form of suicide by proxy, as they either expect to be killed or face life imprisonment.
💡Mental Health Crisis
A mental health crisis is a period of acute psychological distress or a situation that poses a significant risk to an individual's mental well-being. The script discusses that nearly all mass public shooters were in a state of mental health crisis shortly before their actions, although the exact definition of 'crisis' is somewhat ambiguous and varies across sources.
💡Warning Signs
Warning signs are indicators or signals that suggest a potential for harmful behavior or actions. The video mentions that there are often warning signs before mass shootings, with about half of the perpetrators leaking or tipping their plans in advance to others. This highlights the potential for intervention before such tragic events occur.
💡Insider
An insider, in the context of the video, refers to a person who has a special connection or relationship with the location they choose for their violent act. The script notes that in school and workplace shootings, perpetrators are often insiders, which could mean they are current or former students or employees of the targeted place.
💡Firearms
Firearms in this context are the weapons used in mass shootings. The video script reveals that handguns are the most common weapon used by public mass shooters, with so-called assault weapons like AR-15s being used less frequently. It also discusses the legal purchase of these weapons and the issue of stolen firearms in school shootings.
💡Demographics
Demographics refer to the statistical characteristics of a population, such as age, gender, race, etc. The video provides a detailed breakdown of the demographics of mass shooters, noting that the vast majority are male, with a wide age range but an average age of 34.1, and includes a racial breakdown of the perpetrators.
💡Workplace Shootings
Workplace shootings are incidents where violence occurs in a professional setting. The script provides specific statistics on workplace shootings, such as the days of the week and months they are most likely to occur, and the common motivating factors behind them. It also discusses the warning signs exhibited by workplace shooters.
💡School Shootings
School shootings are tragic incidents where a shooter targets a school setting. The video script details the characteristics of school shootings, including the fact that the shooter is often a current or former student, the high rate of suicidal ideation, and the frequency with which they leak their plans beforehand.
💡Good Samaritans
Good Samaritans are individuals who offer help or intervene in a situation without any legal obligation to do so. The video script mentions that in school shootings, non-law enforcement individuals, including concealed carriers or Good Samaritans, are almost as likely to stop a shooter as law enforcement officers, highlighting the role of community members in preventing violence.
💡Stephen Hawking Quote
The quote by astrophysicist Stephen Hawking used in the video suggests that the greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, but the illusion of knowledge. This quote serves as a reminder to question assumptions and seek accurate information, which is relevant to the video's discussion of mass shootings and the narratives surrounding them.
Highlights

Public mass shootings are often politically weaponized despite accounting for a fraction of deaths in America each year.

Public mass shootings are sensationalized and glamorized by the media for their barbarity and political usefulness.

A National Institute of Justice study surveys all American mass public shootings from 1966 to present.

Public mass shootings are a form of suicide, with 30% of shooters being suicidal before the event and 39% becoming suicidal during it.

For school shooters, 92% were suicidal, and for university shooters, 100% were suicidal.

31% of mass shooters experienced severe childhood trauma.

Nearly all mass public shooters were in some state of mental health crisis in the days or weeks leading up to their shooting.

About half of the mass shooters leaked their plans in advance, with the rate skyrocketing to 78% in school shootings.

77.2% of public mass shooters used handguns, while 25.1% used so-called assault weapons.

77% of the weapons used in mass shootings were purchased legally.

97.7% of mass shooters were male, with the average age being 34.1 years.

Mass shootings occur most commonly at workplaces (30.8%), followed by retail establishments (16.9%).

Workplace shootings are more common on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and in December.

91% of school shooters were current or former students at the school.

28% of the time, school shootings were stopped by law enforcement, while 21% were stopped by someone else, including concealed carriers.

Transcripts

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Related Tags
Public ShootingsMental HealthFirearm StatsSuicidal IdeationGun ControlMedia SensationalismAR-15 DebateSchool ShootingsWorkplace ViolenceCrisis Management