School Violence
What causes it and how can we prevent it.
Presentation by Roger Reetz
What we will cover.
The cost of violence
 Selected school shootings
 Grossman’s 5-D’s
 What the shooters had in common
 The “Game Over Effect”
 What causes it
 Brain research
 A plan of action
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The Cost of Violence
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How many kids have been killed in school
by fire in the last 25 years?
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1999- Year of Columbine
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35 kids killed in school
¼ million seriously injured
2004
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Zero
48 kids killed in school
When it comes to violence, the problem is
denial.
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Denial has no survival benefit.
The Cost of Violence
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800 people are killed each year in workplace
violence
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99% of these are preventable w/ armed corporate
security.
One out of three girls and one out of seven
boys are sexually abused by the time they reach
the age of eighteen.
Bullying: At least 160,000 children miss school
every day because they fear an attack or
intimidation by other students.
Animal Mutilation: Teachers report more and
more students as young as seven years old
discussing the “thrills” of stabbing a kitten to
death or torturing a pet.
The Cost of Violence
The Cost of Violence

In 2002, Anthony Harris and a team of
scholars from the University of
Massachusetts and Harvard, published a
landmark study in the journal, Homicide
Studies, which concluded that medical
technology advances since 1970 have
prevented approximately three out of
four murders.

That is, if we had 1970s level medical
technology, the murder rate would be three
or four times higher than it is today.
The Cost of Violence
School Shootings-Paducah,
Kentucky- December 1, 1997
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Fourteen year old Michael Carneal steals a gun from a
neighbors house
Carneal wrapped two shotguns and two rifles in a blanket
and took them to school, passing them off as an art project
he was working on. He also has a .22 cal pistol.
When he arrived he inserted ear plugs and pulled the pistol
out of his bag.
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Fires eight shots into a student prayer meeting that is
breaking up and hit eight different kids
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He achieved Five head shots and three upper torso
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He left three dead and one paralyzed for life.
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Prior to stealing the gun, he had never shot a real
handgun in his life.
School Shootings-Paducah,
Kentucky- December 1, 1997
Michael Carneal had acquired is killing ability at the
tender age of fourteen by killing literally thousands
of people in first person shooter video games
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He had spent hundreds of hours playing these games.
His feet never moved during the shooting.
His first bullet went between his girlfriend’s eyes, and
then he proceeded to put one bullet in every target that
popped up on his “screen.”
His own sister wrote in her statement that she started to
move toward her brother to tell him to stop, but then she
says that she recalled thinking to herself, “He doesn’t
know who I am. He’s going to kill me,” so she started to
run.
School Shootings-Paducah,
Kentucky- December 1, 1997
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Game Over Effect
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He still has one round left and there are still lots
of targets running and screaming all around
him.
But before he can shoot one more time, the
principal runs up to him and demands, “Stop!”
He stops.
“Put the gun down,” the principal says, “You’ve
done enough.” And the kid put the gun down.
So, right in the middle of committing a mass
murder, with the capability of killing at least one
more, a simple verbal command stops the killer.
School Shootings-Pearl
Mississippi- October 1, 2007
Sixteen-year-old Luke Woodham stabs his mother
to death, then he goes to his high school and
shoots nine students.
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Two die, including the suspect's ex-girlfriend, seven
others are wounded.
“Game Over” effect
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The vice-principal has a .45 automatic in his car (a federal
offense, though no one has ever pressed charges) and
runs out to the parking lot to retrieve it.
this educator stands face-to-face with the kid, pointing
his gun at the young man, and says, “Stop!” Amazingly,
the kid stops.
A 17-year-old crazed mass murderer with a loaded gun in
his hand is ordered to stop shooting people, and he does.
School Shootings-Jonesboro,
Ark.- March 24, 1998
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Mitchell Johnson, 13, and Andrew Golden,
11, shot at their classmates and teachers
from the woods.
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Four students and one teacher killed, ten others
wounded outside as Westside Middle School
emptied during a false fire alarm.
They planned the attack to take place
where students were trapped in a “kill
zone”.
They fired 23 shots at over 100 yards
hitting fifteen people.
School Shootings-Jonesboro,
Ark.- March 24, 1998
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Game Over Effect
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Two young killers empty their weapons into 15
people, reload and begin running over a hill
toward their stolen van.
The boys are 11 and 13 years old. As they
approach the van, a police officer yells, “Police!
Down on the ground. Drop the weapon. Down
on the ground.”
These two boys have just committed a bloody
mass murder and they still have loaded
weapons in their hands, but what do they do?
They obey the officer and drop their weapons.
School Shootings-Jonesboro,
Ark.- March 24, 1998
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The mother of the 13-year-old killer in the Jonesboro
school shooting sat across Lt. Col Grossman’s coffee table
and told his wife and him, several months after the
killings, that she finally told her son who he had killed that
day.
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She said her boy laid his head on the table, and
sobbed, saying, “Those were my friends.”
There are no friends in violent video games; there are
only targets. Points. They were committed to a state
detention center under a controversial juvenile sentencing
law that will allow them to walk out of jail by their 21st
birthdays.
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In 2005, the two boys were released and their records
were wiped clean.
School Shootings-Red Lake,
Minnesota- March 21, 2005
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Jeffrey Weise, a 16-year-old student started
out by killing grandfather (police officer)
and grandfather’s girl friend.
 He did this to get grandfather’s weapons
and body armor.
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Two unarmed security officers observed him
park grandfathers patrol car on the curb in
front of the school and get out with the
weapons.
One went to sound lockdown.
One stayed to try to talk down shooter
Conversation lasted about 2 seconds, ending
with two 12 gage shotgun slugs and one dead
security guard.
School Shootings-Red Lake,
Minnesota- March 21, 2005
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Shooter headed down the hall trying each classroom
door
 School policy was to have all doors lock at all times
 When lock down was called out, all teachers
had to do was shut the door.
 Shooter tried to break door windows by couldn’t.
At the end of the hall, shooter reached library where he
was able to break door window.
 The teacher had students “move” to another room.
 The teacher then tried to block door with her body
 Shooter reached around door jam and killed the
teacher then made entry
School Shootings-Red Lake,
Minnesota- March 21, 2005
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Shooter killed a total of seven at
school plus grandfather and
grandfather’s girlfriend.
Police officers where on scene in 8
minutes because teachers used cell
phone to call for help.
School Shootings-Virginia Technical
College- April 16, 2007
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Cho Seung-hui, who police say is responsible the
shootings, was a loner, according to a university
official. 33 dead (including shooter who
committed suicide as police entered the
building), 16 injured
"From what I heard, he chained up some of the
doors so people couldn't get in and he basically
was just going to every classroom trying to get
in, and just started shooting inside classrooms,"
Jenkins said.
"He said every single person in the room was
shot, killed and was in the ground. He laid on
the ground with everyone … he played dead and
he was OK."
School Shootings-Virginia Technical
College- April 16, 2007
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"There wasn't a shooting victim that didn't
have less than three bullet wounds in
them," said Dr. Joseph Cacioppo of
Montgomery Regional Hospital.
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There was 100 wounds recorded.
"Cho's favorite video game was
Counterstrike," making it the violent
shooter game of choice of the authors of
the two worst school shootings in world
history (V-Tech first, Erfurt, Germany
second).
Bomb Threats
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There has never been a bomb found in an
American Classroom based on a phone tip.
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Stated in the Gift of Fear by Gavin DeBecker
Never evacuate a school based solely on a
phone call
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Classroom is the safest place.
Do not evacuate to parking lots
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500 lb car bomb vs. 30 lb backpack bomb
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Jonesburg, AK. students pulled fire alarm to get students
outside to gun them down sniper style.
Grossman’s 5 D’s
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Denial
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Get rid of it.
When it comes to violence, the problem is
denial.
Denial has no survival benefit.
Grossman’s 5 D’s
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Deter
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Armed officers on campus are the best
deterrence
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North Valley Jewish Community CenterLos Angeles- August 10, 1999
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Buford O'Neal Furrow, Jr. entered a Jewish daycare
and shot five people.
 He went to three other schools before this one
but did not attack them because they had
armed officers there.
 He exited the interstate for gas and found the
North Valley Jewish Community Center.
 It did not have armed security.
Grossman’s 5 D’s
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Detect
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Be observant of people watching the
school.
If someone calls asking if there is armed
security in your school
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Note the caller ID and time
Report it
Have police do a follow-up visit
Watch students writings/projects
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All the school shooters had a persistent
theme of violence in their school work .
Grossman’s 5 D’s
Delay
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Go into lockdown
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Grossman suggests that in the event of a Fire Alarm,
ignore the alarm until you see physical proof of fire
(remember Jonesboro).
All classroom doors should be locked all
the time.
Move
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Move away from violence
Move to a secure location
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Must be secure enough to wait for armed response.
Do not evacuate to parking lots (car bombs)
Move again if necessary
Grossman’s 5 D’s
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Destroy
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Take out shooters as quickly as possible.
What all 19 school shooters had
in common
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There is not a profile of a school
shooter, only common actions
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white
black
rich
poor
What all 19 school shooters had
in common
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Shooter had a gun in school
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“Gang pants” designed to conceal
weapons & merchandise
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School should strictly enforce dress code
How hard is it to bring a gun to school?
What all 19 school shooters had
in common
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Shooter had a grievance about a real or
perceived injustice
Some were bullied
 Some were not bullied
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What all 19 school shooters had
in common
Persistent theme of violence in their school
work
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Columbine shooters made movie of a mock
school shooting as part of a school project.
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They wore black trench coats and used toy guns.
Teacher turned tape over to principal
Principal failed to take action
He is now being successfully sued.
He is personally and professionally ruined.
Don’t be afraid of being sued for
restricting/reporting student writing
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Be afraid of being successfully sued for not turning it
in when something happens.
What all 19 school shooters had
in common
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Shooters all had an obsession with
media violence.
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Video games, TV, movies
What all 19 school shooters had
in common
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None of the school shooters was in varsity
sports.
None of them had trained extensively in
the strict discipline of a martial art.
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(One had earned a yellow belt, the lowest rank
which took only a few weeks, and after
dabbling briefly he dropped out.)
None of the school killers was in Junior
ROTC.
None of them was a competitive shooter, a
very demanding sport with draconian
punishments if you fire at the wrong time
or in the wrong direction.
What all 19 school shooters had
in common
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None of the school killers had a hunting
license, another activity that requires strict
discipline and adherence to the law.
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Did you know that if you shoot at a deer from
your car, you would lose your car, your gun, your
money, and your hunting license?
For all you golfers, what would happen if the first
time you cheated, they took your clubs and your
cart, and banned you from ever golfing again?
There wouldn’t be any golfers left!
What all 19 school shooters had
in common
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It should be mentioned that there was one
disciplined activity in which several of the
school shooters did participate (although
several of them later dropped out).
That was band. But no one is sure what to
make of that.
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This is a puzzle that many good people have
examined with sincere concern, developing
theories involving such factors as the absence
of discipline in some band programs, possible
bullying in the band environment, and the nonathletic nature of this activity.
What all 19 school shooters had
in common
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“In the end, the profile of the school
killer is that of a sad little kid who is
obsessed with violent movies, TV,
and/or video games, but who will not
participate in an activity in which he
might be hurt or have to submit to
discipline.”
Game Over Effect
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We have never before seen mass
murderers stop just because someone tells
them to.
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Could it be because these killers are still kids,
and their training teaches them to accept
interruptions?
When a kid plays a video game and his mom
tells him to stop, the kid puts the game on
“pause,” and then looks up to see what she
wants.
Kids are used to the “game over” feature, and
they are used to a verbal command telling them
when it is time to pause.
Game Over Effect
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It is important that we do not assume that
all shooters will stop just because you tell
them to.
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I believe the two killers in Littleton, Colorado,
would never have stopped just because
someone told them to.
The killer in Springfield, Oregon, gunned down
24 kids. It was not a verbal command that
stopped him, but a high school senior, an Eagle
Scout and wrestler, who sucked up the killer’s
bullets but still tackled the shooter and wrestled
the gun away.
Never assume that all will stop on
command.
So what causes it?
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In July, 2000, a joint statement was
made to the US Congress by the AMA,
the APA, the American Academy of
Pediatrics, and the American Academy
of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
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What they said was: "Well over 1,000
studies point overwhelmingly to a causal
connection between media violence and
aggressive behavior in some children."
So what causes it?
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Violent Video Games
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Grand Theft Auto
Postal II
Redneck Rampage
Kingpin: Life of Crime
Halo
Duke Nukem
The list goes on.
So what causes it?
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In a 2001 study, Stanford University
has demonstrated less TV equals less
violence.
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50% decrease in verbal aggression,
40% decrease in physical aggression,
just by encouraging kids to turn off their
TVs and video games
So what causes it?
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In the 1950’s the per capita murder rate
double in the US.
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Trend
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From east to west
From large cities to rural areas
From whites to blacks
Dr. Brandon Centerwal, M.D., an epidemiologist,
was asked by the CDC in 1981 to investigate.
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He considered every possibility that any research
evidence had ever suggested might reasonably be the
cause
Found that everywhere this occurred TV was
introduced 15 years before.
So what causes it?
Why 15? That is how long it takes kids to
grow up.
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We exposed them to violent media between the
ages of two and six, which convinced them that
the world is a dark and violent place, and then
15 years later, when they are teenagers or in
their early 20s, we reap what we sowed.
Dr. Centerwall stated that if, “television
technology had never been developed, there
would today be 10,000 fewer murders each
year in the United States, 70,000 fewer rapes,
and 700,000 fewer injurious assaults.”
So what causes it?
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Since 1950 there has been more than
3500 research studies conducted in
America on the effects of media
violence.
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One random sample of almost 1000
studies found that all, save only 18
demonstrated there is a tangible
correlation between violent
entertainment and violent behavior.
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Twelve of those eighteen were funded by the
television industry.
So what causes it?
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The popular preschool show “Power
Rangers” has about two hundred acts of
violence per hour.
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The adolescents who committed the horrendous
crimes in Jonesboro, Paducah, and Littleton,
were weaned on GI Joe and She-Ra- cartoons
averaging 25 acts of violence per hours.
Most children who are traumatized and
brutalized through their exposure to violent
media do not become violent, but they do
become depressed and fearful.
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Those who do become violent turn into bullies.
Indiana University Brain Scan
Research
Mid brain (4-F’s)
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Fight
Flight
Feed
Fornicate
Violent imagery is the addictive
ingredient for TV/video games
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It feeds the mid brain
Indiana University Brain Scan
Research
Right brain
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Artistic side
(my right brain is broken)
Left Brain
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Logic side
Has no activity for violent videogame
players (intense playing) vs. high activity
for non-player.
Indiana University Brain Scan
Research
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The brain scans I will show you next show
that media violence stunts or "retards" kids'
brain development:
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children with violent TV, movie, and video game
exposure had reduced cognitive brain function.
Media violence also makes violent brains:
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violent TV, movie, and video game exposure had an
effect on normal kids that made their brain scans the
same as children with documented, diagnosed
Aggressive Behavior Disorder.
Indiana University Brain Scan
Research
Indiana University Brain Scan
Research
Indiana University Brain Scan
Research

This second set of brain scans shows
brain activity during a decision
making exercise, called Go-No-Go.
Indiana University Brain Scan
Research
Indiana University Brain Scan
Research
Indiana University Brain Scan
Research
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When it comes to looking into the
future, weighing consequences and
making decisions, the low media
violence exposure group is using a lot
of the logical part of their brain
Brain effects are reversible in about
three days.
Plan of Action
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Reduce time in front of the tube
Remove TV’s and computers from
bedrooms.
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Having children in front of either device
without some type of supervision is a
recipe for disaster.
Empower your kids
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Let them learn martial arts, music, art,
sports, etc.
Band is questionable 
Plan of Action
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Build children’s language and reading
skills.
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Help your children become articulate
readers and writers.
Since the prefrontal cortex (part of the
brain) is an important component in
dampening impulsive, and aggressive
behavior, children and teens with strong
language abilities and problem solving
skills are ore apt to be able to control
themselves.
Plan of Action
Take an interest in your kids video games.
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Point out how often women are placed in
victims roles.
Show them how fast paced the game is to keep
them hyped up.
Pick up a gaming magazine like PC Gamer and
read the advertisements.
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“Gratuitous Violence is 200 times faster with a D-Link
Network.”
“Destroying Your Enemies isn’t Enough…You Must
Devour Their Souls.”