Do we really “just snap?”

You’ve likely heard, “So-and-so was just a normal guy, until he just snapped.” There are physiological reasons why someone can snap, but it’s rare. It is likely that someone showed signs of increasing aggression, and/or experienced a significant lifestyle event that caused them to finally commit violence or exhibit unacceptable behavior.

The United States Secret Service (USSS) National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) conducts extensive research and publishes multiple public domain reports about motives, behavioral indicators, and situational factors that lead to workplace violence. Many of the NTAC findings were incorporated into the framework of the Active Shooter 360 3D Workplace Prevention Workshop and Toolkit. 

Key findings in the Mass Attacks in Public Spaces 2018 report were as follows:

1. Most were motivated by workplace grievances or domestic issues.

2. Over 75% of the attackers made threatening or concerning communications.

3. Most had a history of criminal charges, mental health issues, or substance abuse.

4. Nearly all had a significant stressor within the last five years; over half had financial instability issues.

5. “Targeted violence may be preventable if appropriate systems are in place to identify concerning behaviors, gather information to assess the risk of violence, and utilize community resources to mitigate the risk.”

Key Takeaway:

There are usually early warning signs of impending aggression or attacks. It is imperative that your organization has a workplace violence prevention plan that is structured to assess and investigate concerning behavior, and take early corrective ACTION before a tragedy unfolds.  Take advantage of the wealth of information available at the USSS National Threat Assessment Center.

What are your thoughts? 

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About Hank Christen

Dr. Hank Christen was an Atlanta Fire Department Battalion Chief, Emergency Manager, and Director of Emergency Services for Okaloosa County, Florida. He has responded to multiple disasters in his career and was the Incident Commander for Hurricane Erin, Opal, Earl, and Georges, and responded to Hurricane Andrew (Miami), and Hurricane Marilyn (U.S. Virgin Islands). He co-authored eight books on crisis management and the incident command system in the disaster response field. Dr. Christen has served on a team that evaluated a biological non-traditional syndromic surveillance program during the 2000 George Bush Presidential Inauguration. Dr. Christen has also responded with a Disaster Medical Assistance Team (FL-1 DMAT) to the 2001 World Trade Center Attack, and served as team commander during the team’s deployment to the Atlanta Olympic Bombing. Additionally. Dr. Christen has served on a panel that evaluated the medical response to the Boston Marathon Bombing in 2014. Dr. Hank Christen EdD currently is responsible for developing curriculum, technical writing, and instructing courses with Active Shooter 360, LLC. The materials developed and taught by Dr. Christen include Active Shooter Awareness, Threat Intervention Practices, Incident Command System (ICS), Crisis Decision Making, and Emergency Operations Planning.

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