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An Exploration Into Why Mass Shooters Kill
Mass shooters typically kill alone. This should tell us something.
Part I:
Methodologies and Shooters
Mass shootings are nothing new. We know that, statistically speaking, young males account for more than 80% of mass shootings and killings in the U. S. We know that in most of these cases, the perpetrators are typically mentally deranged (albeit intelligent) loners with fringe world views.
It is also true that between the 1966 University of Texas tower shooting and the 1999 shooting at Columbine High school in Colorado, where Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris slaughtered 12 of their fellow students and one teacher, mass killings have received increased publicity. What we haven’t been able to accurately assess is what constitutes a mass killing and why, in an unrivaled age of law and order, mass killings continue to happen.
To be sure, the history of humanity is rich with murder. In no way will this piece attempt to explain why. The motivation for homicidal human behavior is beyond the scope of this essay. Additionally, the reason(s) humans murder innocent people, especially the young, old, and defenseless, are typically multi-varied and require in-depth nuanced analysis, a considerable amount of which will be…
