It's a vicious circle.Why do people commit mass shootings?

In summary, a biology professor at the University of Alabama in Huntsville opened fire at a faculty meeting, killing three people and wounding three others. She faces a capital murder charge.
  • #1
zoobyshoe
6,510
1,290
First time I've ever heard of anything like this:

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A biology professor at the University of Alabama in Huntsville who authorities say opened fire at a faculty meeting is facing a murder charge after the shooting spree that left three dead and three wounded.

Amy Bishop, 42, was charged Friday night with one count of capital murder, which means she could face the death penalty if convicted. Three of Bishop's fellow biology professors were killed and three other university employees were wounded. No students were harmed in the shooting, which happened in a community known for its space and technology industries.

The husband of one of the victims said he was told those at the meeting were discussing tenure for Bishop, who had been an assistant professor since 2003. Authorities have not discussed a motive.

UAH student Andrew Cole was in Bishop's anatomy class Friday morning and said she seemed perfectly normal.

"She's understanding, and was concerned about students," he said. "I would have never thought it was her."

Bishop, a neurobiologist who studied at Harvard University, was taken Friday night in handcuffs from a police precinct to the county jail and could be heard saying, "It didn't happen. There's no way. ... They are still alive."

Police said they were also interviewing a man as "a person of interest."

University spokesman Ray Garner said the three killed were Gopi K. Podila, the chairman of the Department of Biological Sciences, and two other faculty members, Maria Ragland Davis and Adriel Johnson.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100213/ap_on_re_us/us_ala_university_shooting [Broken]
 
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  • #2
I read about that this morning. She apparently flipped out - at a meeting about tenure. :uhh:
 
  • #3
Astronuc said:
I read about that this morning. She apparently flipped out - at a meeting about tenure. :uhh:

I think she will have tenure where she is going now. Very sad, indeed.
 
  • #4
Astronuc said:
I read about that this morning. She apparently flipped out - at a meeting about tenure. :uhh:

Apparently she was expecting it to go bad: she brought a gun.

This part is mysterious:

Police said they were also interviewing a man as "a person of interest."



Another student said:

Andrea Bennett, a sophomore majoring in nursing, described Bishop as being "very weird" and "a really big nerd."

"She's well-known on campus, but I wouldn't say she's a good teacher. I've heard a lot of complaints," Bennett said. "She's a genius, but she really just can't explain things."

It's pretty mind-boggling. I bet the whole campus is in shock.
 
  • #5
I wonder if the police suspect that the 'person of interest' should have known or did know that the professor intended to threaten or use violence if she didn't get tenure, or did the POI have something to do with the gun?

If she showed up with a gun, that does suggest pre-meditation.

I'm sure the campus and the surrounding community are in shock.
 
  • #6
Astronuc said:
I wonder if the police suspect that the 'person of interest' should have known or did know that the professor intended to threaten or use violence if she didn't get tenure, or did the POI have something to do with the gun?

Yeah, that's the same set of questions I have. Did he know and fail to warn? Or was he some sort of accomplice?
 
  • #7
"It didn't happen. There's no way. ... They are still alive."
Did she think the gun was empty or had blanks? Perhaps the "person of interest" supplied her with the gun.

Even firing a gun you think is empty at people is unhinged.
 
  • #8
Is this a sign that the tenure system is outdated, overly stress-inducing, and broken?
 
  • #9
Evo said:
Did she think the gun was empty or had blanks? Perhaps the "person of interest" supplied her with the gun.

Even firing a gun you think is empty at people is unhinged.

I doubt she thought it was empty. She fired it enough times.
 
  • #10
cristo said:
No, it's a sign that crazy people, when given access to a gun, will use it and take innocent lives.
See?
 
  • #11
I heard about this last night. I thought that it was a student that went on a rampage. But a professor? Well, we are all human beings. Perhaps she just wanted to be appreciated more by the faculty, that's all. And then brokedown.
 
  • #12
otto1923 said:
No, its a sign to everybody in Great Britain that Americans should not have access to firearms.
Why not add hydrogen peroxide and lipstick to the ban?
 
  • #13
Bishop, a neurobiologist who studied at Harvard University, was taken Friday night in handcuffs from a police precinct to the county jail and could be heard saying, "It didn't happen. There's no way. ... They are still alive."

Evo said:
Did she think the gun was empty or had blanks? Perhaps the "person of interest" supplied her with the gun.

Even firing a gun you think is empty at people is unhinged.

The implication is that she was in a dissociative state for the whole thing. She may have been, or she may be faking that to lay grounds for an insanity plea. I haven't read the new DSM but it used to be said that the only people who fake insanity are sociopaths (anti-social personality disorder). Her diagnosis is going to be a big issue at the trial. This could be ASPD, post-traumatic stress, bipolar mania, or paranoid schizophrenia. In any event, the defense would have to prove she was so psychotic she didn't know right from wrong. That just about never happens in a courtroom, from what I understand.

In fact, she may already have a diagnosis and it could be the "person of interest" is her shrink.
 
  • #14
waht said:
I heard about this last night. I thought that it was a student that went on a rampage. But a professor? Well, we are all human beings. Perhaps she just wanted to be appreciated more by the faculty, that's all. And then brokedown.

Mass shootings are rarely carried out by women, said Dr. Park Dietz, who is president of Threat Assessment Group Inc., a Newport Beach, Calif.-based violence prevention firm.

A notable exception was a 1985 rampage at a Springfield, Pa., mall in which three people were killed. In June 1986, Sylvia Seegrist was deemed guilty but mentally ill on three counts of murder and seven counts of attempted murder in the shooting spree.

Dietz, who interviewed Seegrist after her arrest, said it was possible the suspect in Friday's shooting had a long-standing grudge against colleagues or superiors and felt complaints had not been dealt with fairly.

Gregg McCrary, a retired FBI agent and private criminal profiler based in Fredericksburg, Va., said there is no typical outline of a mass shooter but noted they often share a sense of paranoia, depression or a feeling that they are not appreciated.


As they say there's no fixed profile for this kind of killer, but it would be hard to believe such a surge of violence sprang from nowhere over this specific issue. I'm thinking this woman's been holding herself together with safety pins and duct tape for years.
 
  • #15
If you peoples are done derailing this thread, I'd like to point something out. I am glad it wasn't Moonbear :biggrin:
 
  • #16
cronxeh said:
If you peoples are done derailing this thread, I'd like to point something out. I am glad it wasn't Moonbear :biggrin:

:rofl:
 
  • #17
This thread will not turn into yet another gun ownership thread.
 
  • #18
Evo said:
This thread will not turn into yet another gun ownership thread.

I was thinking of that last night when I saw this news :biggrin:
 
  • #19
Evo said:
This thread will not turn into yet another gun ownership thread.

Then how about if we delete all allusions to gun laws and ownership, and not just those supporting gun ownership? She could have hacked them all to death with a maschete, poisoned the coffee, or bombed the building. A crazy person can always find a way to kill people.
 
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  • #20
I deleted all posts concerning gun ownership rights discussions. Posts about her using the gun are ok, since it was the weapon used.
 
  • #21
She should be hanged. Lethal injection is too good for this lady. If she pleads insanity and gets an easier sentence it will show that the legal system is messed. I don't care how "insane" you were at the time, you don't go around shooting people.
 
  • #22
MotoH said:
She should be hanged. Lethal injection is too good for this lady. If she pleads insanity and gets an easier sentence it will show that the legal system is messed. I don't care how "insane" you were at the time, you don't go around shooting people.

1) Would that prevent shootings in the future?
2) How others will be better off by killing her?
 
  • #23
Why does she have the right to live, when she so carelessly took it away from others?
 
  • #24
The thing I wonder about is, given how these things tend to suggest explosive behavior to people in similar situations, like the rash of postal worker violence, and then student rampages, are there other professors out there also ready to blow? It never occurred to me there'd be any professor anywhere on the verge of this kind of thing.
 
  • #25
cronxeh said:
If you peoples are done derailing this thread, I'd like to point something out. I am glad it wasn't Moonbear :biggrin:

A gun? Moonbie? nah, she will have just brought a frozen fish to slap some sense into those faculty members lol
 
  • #26
zoobyshoe said:
The thing I wonder about is, given how these things tend to suggest explosive behavior to people in similar situations, like the rash of postal worker violence, and then student rampages, are there other professors out there also ready to blow? It never occurred to me there'd be any professor anywhere on the verge of this kind of thing.

I think that I lost all surprise by these incidents after seeing the Ft. Hood shooting with the accused being a psychiatrist with the rank of Major killing his own brothers in arms.
 
  • #27
Borg said:
I think that I lost all surprise by these incidents after seeing the Ft. Hood shooting with the accused being a psychiatrist with the rank of Major killing his own brothers in arms.

Yes, you're right. That one was pretty hard to fathom.
 
  • #28
New hit is brewing - "Tell me why - I don't like Fridays".
 
  • #29
MotoH said:
She should be hanged. Lethal injection is too good for this lady.

So instead of justice, you believe in revenge? I hope your signature is meant to be ironic!

If she pleads insanity and gets an easier sentence it will show that the legal system is messed. I don't care how "insane" you were at the time, you don't go around shooting people.

Erm.. isn't that what "insane" means-- unable to make rational decisions. I don't see why shooting someone is unexpected of an insane person.
 
  • #30
What makes any person who kills someone so special to be able to keep their own life? She isn't worth the cost of the light bulb used to light the execution chamber.
 
  • #31
MotoH said:
What makes any person who kills someone so special to be able to keep their own life?

What makes you worthy of deciding who may live and who may die?
 
  • #32
She fatally shot her brother 20 years ago, but they "lost" the files. She's 42 now, so she would have been 22 at the time.
 
  • #33
I am not the one who decided. She decided for herself when she killed three innocent people.
 
  • #34
MotoH said:
I am not the one who decided. She decided for herself when she killed three innocent people.
She's killed four people, she also fatally shot her brother.
 
  • #35
Evo said:
She's killed four people, she also fatally shot her brother.

Didn't see your post until after I posted :smile:


Why should I, or anyone else, have my hard earned money go to pay for rapists, murderers and thieves meals, room, and board?
Criminals are living in better conditions than some people in America right now! I would rather have my tax money go to building homeless shelters, providing food to the poor, and any other humanitarian needs in the United States.

Of course we need a place to house criminals, but it shouldn't be as nice as some of the jails are.
 
<h2>1. Why do people commit mass shootings?</h2><p>There is no one simple answer to this question, as each individual's motivations and circumstances may vary. However, some common factors that may contribute to mass shootings include mental illness, access to firearms, a history of violence or trauma, and a desire for infamy or revenge.</p><h2>2. Is there a specific profile or type of person who commits mass shootings?</h2><p>While there is no single profile or type of person who commits mass shootings, there are some patterns that have been observed. Many mass shooters are male, and may have a history of social isolation, anger issues, or extremist beliefs. However, it is important to remember that these characteristics do not necessarily predict violent behavior.</p><h2>3. Are mass shootings on the rise?</h2><p>It can seem like mass shootings are becoming more frequent, but statistically, they are not on the rise. According to data from the Gun Violence Archive, the number of mass shootings has remained relatively consistent over the past few decades.</p><h2>4. What can be done to prevent mass shootings?</h2><p>Preventing mass shootings is a complex issue that requires a multifaceted approach. Some proposed solutions include stricter gun control measures, improved access to mental health resources, addressing social and economic factors that contribute to violence, and promoting a culture of non-violence and empathy.</p><h2>5. Are there warning signs that someone may be planning a mass shooting?</h2><p>In some cases, there may be warning signs that someone is planning a mass shooting, such as making threats, exhibiting violent or erratic behavior, or expressing a fascination with previous mass shootings. However, it is important to remember that not all individuals who exhibit these behaviors will go on to commit a mass shooting, and it is not possible to predict with certainty who will become a mass shooter.</p>

1. Why do people commit mass shootings?

There is no one simple answer to this question, as each individual's motivations and circumstances may vary. However, some common factors that may contribute to mass shootings include mental illness, access to firearms, a history of violence or trauma, and a desire for infamy or revenge.

2. Is there a specific profile or type of person who commits mass shootings?

While there is no single profile or type of person who commits mass shootings, there are some patterns that have been observed. Many mass shooters are male, and may have a history of social isolation, anger issues, or extremist beliefs. However, it is important to remember that these characteristics do not necessarily predict violent behavior.

3. Are mass shootings on the rise?

It can seem like mass shootings are becoming more frequent, but statistically, they are not on the rise. According to data from the Gun Violence Archive, the number of mass shootings has remained relatively consistent over the past few decades.

4. What can be done to prevent mass shootings?

Preventing mass shootings is a complex issue that requires a multifaceted approach. Some proposed solutions include stricter gun control measures, improved access to mental health resources, addressing social and economic factors that contribute to violence, and promoting a culture of non-violence and empathy.

5. Are there warning signs that someone may be planning a mass shooting?

In some cases, there may be warning signs that someone is planning a mass shooting, such as making threats, exhibiting violent or erratic behavior, or expressing a fascination with previous mass shootings. However, it is important to remember that not all individuals who exhibit these behaviors will go on to commit a mass shooting, and it is not possible to predict with certainty who will become a mass shooter.

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