NORTH WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — While the threat of school shootings pervades the American consciousness, these tragedies are still less common than traffic fatalities or even being struck by lightning, according to Peter Langman, an expert on the psychology of school shooters.
Langman wants educators and students to remain vigilant, but that doesn’t mean walking around their schools on edge.
“We have to take it seriously because it does happen, and it would be more likely to happen if we ignore the warning signs,” Langman said. “But let’s keep the reality in perspective and not get so caught up in fear.”
Langman presented his research on school shooters Wednesday at the 26th KidsPeace National Conference in Orefield. About 220 people attended the event on gun violence prevention, which was funded through a grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.
KidsPeace is the largest provider of mental and behavioral health services for children in the Lehigh Valley.
Langman, a former KidsPeace psychologist and Lehigh University grad, spoke Wednesday about the warning signs for identifying potential school shooters. He said there’s no simple explanation for why perpetrators turn to violence.
“You can’t explain something really rare by pointing to something that’s extremely common, like being picked on in school or playing video games,” said Langman, who’s written three books about school shooters.
Three types of school shooters
Langman, who was hired by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to provide school safety training, said shooters have “serious psychological traumas.” He said there are three categories of school shooters: psychopathic, psychotic and traumatized.
Psychopathic shooters have extreme narcissism, lack empathy, reject morality and are sadistic. They have a victim mindset and are able to make a good impression when they want to, Langman said.
“From a prevention standpoint, psychopaths can be very charming,” he said, noting it’s important to remember this during threat assessment interviews with students.
Psychotic shooters experience hallucinations and delusions. They have disorganized thought and speech. Psychotic shooters are also impaired socially and emotionally, causing them to experience alienation and envy of others.
"Shooters don’t just target people who have done something wrong to them. They might target the kids who represent everything they lack."Peter Langman, author and psychologist
“Shooters don’t just target people who have done something wrong to them,” Langman said. “They might target the kids who represent everything they lack.”
Psychopathic and psychotic perpetrators come from generally stable and intact families, but that’s not true of traumatized shooters, who come from chronically violent and dysfunctional homes, he said.
Traumatized shooters usually have parents with substance use problems and criminal backgrounds. These children have often experienced physical, emotional or sexual abuse. They experience frequent relocations, bouncing between homes and caregivers.
“Most people who are psychotic, psychopathic and traumatized never kill anybody,” Langman said. “As important as those distinctions are, they’re not complete explanations.”
It’s important to know these types of potential shooters to help get students off the path of violence, he added.
Biological, social and cultural influences
In his research, Langman has also seen biological patterns among school shooters via genetics, development and body-related issues.
When it comes to genetics, some shooters may have family members who have displayed psychopathic and psychotic behavior, too, he said. Traumatized shooters may have witnessed abuse and can be predisposed to violent behavior, Langman added.
As for development, Langman has tracked patterns of school shooters experiencing health issues in the womb or as an infant.
Additionally, some school shooters experience body-related issues, such as being unusually short, unathletic or overweight.
Social stressors are another influence that may contribute to perpetrators choosing violence, Langman said. These could be setbacks, failures or rejections.
"All kinds of things could go wrong. It could be academic, it could be disciplinary at school, it could be legal issues in the community. It could be peer problems, romantic problems, family problems."Peter Langman, author and psychologist
“All kinds of things could go wrong,” he said. “It could be academic, it could be disciplinary at school, it could be legal issues in the community. It could be peer problems, romantic problems [or] family problems.
“All kinds of things could just pile on and make things worse for the kids.”
Cultural influences that lead shooters to violence include certain ideologies and role models, as well as the pursuit of fame.
Langman said it’s common for shooters to worship Adolf Hitler and Nazis. He said shooters also feel there’s a transformative aspect to violence, allowing them to make a name for themselves in history.
Multiple shooters have written about how getting a hold of a gun made them feel powerful, Langman said, adding it’s a red flag when students refer to guns as an “equalizer.”
Warning signs
Langman also said it’s a warning sign when students use dehumanizing language about others, take an interest in the occult, or worship past school shooters.
“The ultimate power is taking someone’s life, so these kids are seeking power,” Langman said.
Citing the work of author and security specialist Gavin de Becker, Langman said educators and mental health professionals should pay attention to their own fear when concerned about a potentially violent student.
“If you or your colleagues are afraid of some student or a client you’re working with, pay attention to that,” he said. “That could be critical information.”
Langman also said school shooters don’t all fit the known stereotype of being white, male teens. About half of school shooters are adults, and there’s also more diversity among shooters than one might think, he said. Shooters also don’t usually fit the loner stereotype, nor do they often target other students who have bullied them.
"What we think a school shooter looks like is very much a myth."Peter Langman, author and psychologist
“What we think a school shooter looks like is very much a myth,” Langman said.
Other warning signs can include explicit and direct threats or subtle and ominous leakage of violent intentions.
“Regardless, they need to be reported,” Langman said.
Few shooters expect to get away from the scene of a mass shooting, and they do announce their intentions for violence ahead of time. Langman said people need to take warnings seriously, even if a student tries to play off statements as a joke.
There are also actions that students may take if they’re planning an attack, such as getting a gun, or practicing shooting. These are also potential warning signs.
To prevent a shooting, there must be intervention early on when the potential perpetrator is fantasizing, planning or preparing for an attack, Langman said. During later phases, schools must rely on emergency responses, such as lockdowns.
If a student has a time, place, method of attack and access to the means to carry out a threat, then an attack is more imminent. These are details to be aware of, Langman said.
Students must also be taught to report concerning statements, or if they see a peer with a weapon at school, he said.
