Threat specialist known as the ‘grim reaper’ explains how authorities can stop mass shootingsBy Stephanie Pagones
July 7, 2023
A renowned threat assessment consultant dubbed the “grim reaper” for his proximity to some of the country’s most infamous tragedies says the battle to stop mass shooters can only be won by authorities identifying them and intervening at the first warning signs.
“Many things we do are meaningless,” said Patrick Prince, the University of South California’s chief threat assessment officer, in an interview with the Nashville Tennessean.
“We should be asking, ‘How can we prevent them?’”
Prince, who has worked as a consultant for four decades, pointed to FBI statistics from 2018 that said 56% of mass shooters showed warning signs two years before carrying out the act, according to the report.
A staggering 98% of people who knew people who go on to be shooters sensed something was amiss, he said.
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The warning signs, referred to as “leakage,” involve the shooter revealing “clues to a third party about feelings, thoughts, fantasies, attitudes or intentions that may signal intent to commit a violent act,” the FBI said.
“Something has affected their identity, their feeling of self-worth,” he told the Tennessean. “People don’t want to come in and shoot up the place,” he said. “Let’s deal with them when they’re fantasizing about the shooting.”
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Prince said shooters often “ruminate over perceived injustices” and apply “a name and face to a grievance,” something he called “Hostile Attributional Violence,” the report said.
Prince became known as the “grim reaper” as he delved into trauma response and consulting early in his career.
He stressed more needs be done before a shooter becomes committed to carrying out deadly acts. He also claimed trying to prevent killings after the person has made up their mind is often ineffective.
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Source:
https://nypost.com/2023/07/07/threat-specialist-patrick-prince-explains-how-to-stop-mass-shootings/
