By Allison G. S. Knox
Contributor, EDM Digest
Active shooter incidents are incredibly devastating, to say the least. For viewers watching the events unfold on television, it is horrifying to think that one individual murdered and injured innocent people who were simply going about their day.
The Las Vegas shooting in October 2017 was particularly shocking, as hundreds of people were injured and 58 were killed by gunman Stephen Paddock while they attended an outdoor concert. To date, the Las Vegas shooting is the deadliest active shooter incident in the United States.
Recently, the Las Vegas Police Department released more information regarding the shooting. An August 2018 article published by NPR explains that the investigation has been closed and Las Vegas law enforcement could not find a motive to explain why the shooter acted as he did.
However, the Las Vegas police found that the shooter had demonstrated odd behavior that was noticeable to the people around him in the days and weeks leading up to the shooting. It also highlights the significance of individuals reporting concerning behavior to the police if they believe an individual is capable of becoming an active shooter.
Unfortunately, a change in behavior is a trend with active shooters. This change from normal behavior to indicators of violent behavior is important for helping law enforcement to recognize and identify active shooters before a rampage.
Communities Must Work Harder to Identify Potential Active Shooters
While there are many questions without answers as to why the Las Vegas shooter committed this horrible act, the Las Vegas police have certainly learned more about active shooter behavior from their investigation. Communities need to develop standardized guidelines to better identify potentially violent behavior, educate citizens and support concerning behavior reports in order to prevent future incidents like Las Vegas from happening again.
Comments are closed.