On this edition of Your Call, we'll discuss how we can reach young men facing isolation, bullying, and family struggles before they're driven to extreme acts of violence.
The 18-year-old gunman who carried out a massacre at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas last Tuesday was dealing with bullying and a difficult home life, according to reports. Peers also say he had a pattern of violent relationships, threatened teen girls online, shot at random people with a BB gun, and hurt animals.
Over the past decade, the majority of mass shooters were severely bullied and had a history of disciplinary trouble, according to a Secret Service study that analyzed 41 similar school attacks.
Guests:
Aaron Stark, public speaker and mental health advocate, best known for his Tedx Talk, "I Was Almost A School Shooter"
Dr. Gary Barker, developmental psychologist, president and CEO of Equimundo: Center for Masculinities and Social Justice
Dr. Kristin Anderson, professor of psychology at the Center for Critical Race Studies at the University of Houston-Downtown, and author of Enraged, Rattled, and Wronged: Entitlement’s Response to Social Progress
Web Resources:
The New York Times: The Texas gunman had few friends in high school, classmates say
The Texas Tribune: Before massacre, Uvalde gunman frequently threatened teen girls online
Independent: Texas shooter Salvador Ramos’s classmate claims he ‘loved hurting animals’
The Colorado Sun: Secret Service study: Most school shooters were badly bullied, showed warning signs
Politico: Two Professors Found What Creates a Mass Shooter. Will Politicians Pay Attention?
