Active Shooter: Normal Behavior?

In this post we are going to take it from the perspective of the person who could become an active shooter. We will present a scenario from a serious game, Bounce Back, that we use to teach the attitudes and skills of resilience.

Here's the scenario. It is presented from the perspective of an individual we might consider as being at-risk to either harm himself or someone else.

My friends tell me I'm great. But I don't feel great. Not even a little. I should be happy. That's what everyone tells me, but I am not. I feel like I have no power in this world. The only time I feel in control is when my dad takes me and the gun he bought me to the shooting range.

Would you consider this boy to be at risk of harming himself or someone else in his effort to feel more in control of his life and more powerful? Many of you would say no. This is a normal adolescent dealing with the constraints of being an adolescent. I believe more information would be needed before we could make a judgment about risk. But we can certainly do things to help him feel more in control of his life and to feel better about himself and his abilities.

It appears he has some connection with others, but is he letting anyone really know how he feels? His parents? His friends? Has anyone taught him how to deal with these feelings he has and how to feel more self-confident?

I have no objection to teaching a young person how to use firearms safely and how to enjoy target practice or hunting. But there are other life skills that our children need to learn to feel powerful and in control of their lives. These include being able to develop close friendships with others. Being able to communicate with others. Being able to problem solve with others. Being able to manage strong feelings without having to act these feelings out.

Young people need to be able to take care of themselves and learn the value of taking care of others since the latter will also build their resilience. They need to learn to think critically and to trust their own thinking. The young man that we have described needs to find a purpose for himself and his life; to be able to see the big picture and where he fits into it.

Teaching these skills and attitudes is the responsibility of the parents and our schools. If we want to decrease violence in our society, this is one way to do it.