A MURDERER SPEAKS FROM HELL

“Hell is truth seen too late - duty neglected in its season”

-Tryon Edwards

In my recent article, “A Nice Rapist”, I talked about some stressors that individuals who act out violently in one manner or another go through usually prior to the act of violence. Shortly after I wrote this article a shooting at the LA Fitness Center Gym in Bridgeville, Pa occurred. One thing I try to make clear about such shootings is that they are never just the result of someone “snapping.”

In other words, such an individual is never just normal one day then snaps the next. Noted author Gavin DeBecker (The Gift of Fear) says that violence is always predictable. While at first that may sound hard to believe, when you have all the facts prior, it is not. Unfortunately often we may only see certain aspects of a potentially explosive violent person. It is understanding the combinations of the events, stressors, background, and so on about the subject that can give us a full picture of the violence potential of such an individual. Good communication between those who interact with this individual is essential in getting the whole picture and thus enabling us to better evaluate the violence potential of such a person.

I have attained the transcript of the shooter, George Sodini, that he posted online. It is VERY important to realize that all of this information was posted online for more than a year prior to his shooting spree that left 4 dead. Yet no one turned him in.

Before we look at the threat assessment list and compare it to Sodini's online diary, we need to also remember that such shootings are often preceded by a statement that “tests the waters.” I attended the funerals for three teenage girls who were shot down in a Paducah, Kentucky high school early in the mid-nineties. The shooter, Michael Carneal, stated to several individuals that “something big is going to happen Monday.” That Monday, Carneal walked into the high school and opened fire, killing all three girls.

Sodini did the same thing only he did it over and over again. His online diary is almost completely explicit in stating what he was going to do, only he started describing his impending shooting spree over a year ahead of time. While we cannot walk around paranoid, we must walk around prepared. We need to learn to listen to others and be able to analyze what they say and compare it to their situation. Our lives may depend on it.

What follows is one of the threat assessment and evaluation processes I use to assess the dangerous potential of such individuals in threat management.

Behaviors:

Aggressive behavior / violent outbursts of anger
High frustration levels / easily agitated. Seems mad at the world
Controlling / relationship wise / interpersonal interactions / various environments / attempts to dominate yet may feel he has no control.
Doesn’t accept responsibility for actions / blames others
Overly defensive / takes criticism poorly / feels oppressed
Objects to the notion that he is powerless of some situations though in fact he may believe himself to be
Perceives he is threatened / by circumstance / individual / or by “powers that be’
Feels weapons are a considerable source of empowerment
Victim mentality, believes he is ‘always being picked on’ , ‘oppressed’, or otherwise victimized by society
May abuse drugs or alcohol “self medicates” in order to relieve anxiety.
May be anti-social / loner type or may seek out other “outcasts” to group with.
Preoccupation with images of violence / fascination with other violent individuals
Threatens / intimidates
Imposes his will on others / bullying
Degrades others either publicly or privately.
May indicate suicidal or homicidal tendencies overtly or by use of vague references / use of dark humor
Identifies with violent characters in movies, books, or stories
May subscribe to conspiracy theories

Circumstances:

Possible history of violence / criminal record / disciplinary records
Possible history of mental instability / schizophrenia / anti-social disorders / bi-polar disorder / paranoid personality disorders
Exposure to deviant groups or ideology
Poor work record / migratory job record
Inability to acquire proper treatment for mental instabilities
Little or no positive social or family support structure
Limited or inappropriate / effective outlets for stress relief
Deteriorating social / economic / physical health
History of being or feeling bullied

Stressors:

Loss of relationship / divorce / break-up / death
Loss of job / loss of professional status or ranking
Impending legal action / prosecution / possible jail time
Not taking medications for mental stability
Loss of social status
Perceived increase in feelings of persecution
Perceived feelings of being threatened
Perceived loss of situational control
Perception of limited alternatives / feelings of hopelessness

From Sodini's Online Blog:

“Every black man should get a young white girl hoe to hone up on. Kinda a reverse indentured servitude thing. Long ago, many a older white male landowner had a young Negro wench girl for his desires. Bout' time tables are turned on that shit. Besides, dem young white hoez dig da bruthrs!”

Degrades others either publicly or privately.

“Why do this?? To young girls? Just read below. I kept a running log that includes my thoughts and actions, after I saw this project was going to drag on.”
November 5, 2008:
“Planned to do this in the summer but figure to stick around to see the election outcome.”
(This is just one of MANY references or hints he makes about “doing something.”)
May indicate suicidal or homicidal tendencies overtly or by use of vague references / use of dark humor

“No girlfriend since 1984, last Christmas with Pam was in 1983. Who knows why. I am not ugly or too weird. No sex since July 1990 either (I was 29). No shit! Over eighteen years ago. And did it maybe only 50-75 times in my life.”

Victim mentality, believes he is ‘always being picked on’ , ‘oppressed’, or otherwise victimized by society

“I will shoot for Tuesday, January 6, 2009, at maybe 8:15.”

(Here he even specifies a specific date and time he plans to carry out his plan. He does this numerous times.)

“...dress good, am clean-shaven, bathe, touch of cologne - yet 30 million women rejected me - over an 18 or 25-year period. That is how I see it. Thirty million is my rough guesstimate of how many desirable single women there are. A man needs a woman for confidence. He gets a boost on the job, career, with other men, and everywhere else when he knows inside he has someone to spend the night with and who is also a friend. This type of life I see is a closed world with me specifically and totally excluded.”

Victim mentality, believes he is ‘always being picked on’ , ‘oppressed’, or otherwise victimized by society
May be anti-social / loner type or may seek out other “outcasts” to group with.
May subscribe to conspiracy theories (believes that women are against him in an almost conspiracy.)
Overly defensive / takes criticism poorly / feels oppressed
High frustration levels / easily agitated. Seems mad at the world
Doesn’t accept responsibility for actions / blames others
Perceives he is threatened / by circumstance / individual / or by “powers that be’

December 31, 2008:
“My anger and rage is largely gone since I began lifting weights. Lifting drains me but I still have energy. Somebody else suggested running but that did not help me. I guess strenuous exercise is necesary for a man. So I just learned that now at 48. Maybe 30 years later than I would have liked”
Aggressive behavior / violent outbursts of anger
High frustration levels / easily agitated. Seems mad at the world (Rage is key here.)

“My dad never (not once) talked to me or asked about my life's details and tell me what he knew. He was just a useless sperm doner. Don't know why, find it fun talking to young kids when I visit someone. Brother was actually counter-productive and would try to embarase me or discourage my efferts when persuing things, esp girls early on (teen years). Useless bully. Result is I am learning basics by trial and error in my 40s, followed by discuragement. Seems odd, but thats true. Writing all this is helping me justify my plan and to see the futility of continuing.”
“Mum - The Central Boss. (Here he gives his mother's address). Don't piss her off or she will be mad and vindictive for years. She actually thinks she's normal. Very dominant. Her way and only her way with no flexibility toward everyone in the household. A power and control thing. People outside the immediate family like her. Why are people vicious with their closest ones? She is the Boss above all other Bosses.”

Little or no positive social or family support structure
History of being or feeling bullied

April 24, 2009:
“Early last month, we had our second general layoff. I survived. First one was in November...is out of proportion to the economic problems at this time. The economy is shrinking by about 4-5%. They decided not to pay Christmas bonus - for staff that amounts to about 8% of yearly pay. Well, OK. Plus no yearly "merit" raise, another 3.5%. That totals to about 11% cut. Plus two layoffs of 5% staff in each case. Do the math. I know this firm is using this downturn as an excuse to take advanage of a bad situation and kill jobs UNNECESSARILY. The second layoff people who actually did work were let go...I predict I won't survive the next layoff.”

Loss of job / loss of professional status or ranking

May 5, 2009:
“To pull the exit plan off, it popped into my mind to just use some booze.”
May abuse drugs or alcohol “self medicates” in order to relieve anxiety.

“I no longer have any expectations of myself. I have no options because I cannot work toward and achieve even the smallest goals. That is, ABOVE ALL, what bothers me the most. Not to be able to work towards what I want in my life. I believe I am deserve that. I read recently it is called "self efficacy", but who knows. Is that more psychobable?”

Limited or inappropriate / effective outlets for stress relief
Deteriorating social / economic / physical health
Possible history of mental instability / schizophrenia / anti-social disorders / bi-polar disorder / paranoid personality disorders

The diary goes on for quite some time. But just from the few excerpts we can see that the shooter has MANY of the key indicators prior to the act of violence. Here it is all in writing, available for the whole world to see. Unhidden as often many other cases are. Had someone cared enough or known enough about the threat assessment model outlined above, this shooting could have been preempted. Some even believe that this individual may have wanted to get caught prior to his actions. To get some sort of relief.

Make no mistake, however, This individual, though mentally unstable, was not by definition of the law, insane. He was able to plan out and even control his actions, as evidenced by his numerous posts about planning, keeping a list, and postponements of the attack.

The rest of the online diary continues to grow more and more disturbing. Finally at the very end, a particularly haunting post. Like a voice from the gates of hell...A message to all of us.

“Also, any of the "Practice Papers" left on my coffee table I used or the notes in my gym bag can be published freely. I will not be embarased, because, well, I will be dead. Some people like to study that stuff. Maybe all this will shed insight on why some people just cannot make things happen in their life, which can potentially benefit others.”