Media Publicity Promotes Copycats
Mentally ill or not there is
little doubt in my mind that the perpetrators of the recent (and presumably
more distant past) shootings of unarmed, random victims in legislated or
actually gun free zones were following a copycat pattern very much reinforced
by the ensuing sensational media coverage of such events.
Copycats In Waves
The notion of 15 minutes of
fame may also apply here. For once these perpetrators become the center of
attention. I would also venture to guess there is a higher probability of a wave
like pattern of occurrence of such events.
Cowards
What seems to be another
observation is that these killers are cowards who would possibly rarely commit
this kind of act if the odds to succeed were against them.
Digging For More
Recommendable further reading
here,
a Wall Street Journal op-ed article by David Kopel titled “Guns, Mental Illness
and Newtown” published on 12/18/2012.
Mr. Kopel justifiably also points out the "deinstitutionalization of the violently mentally ill" that began in the mid-1960s.
