Guns Don’t Kill Students, Students Kill Students

Virginia Tech., Northern Illinois University, Louisiana Technical College, Delaware State University. These schools vary widely, but they will be forever linked as campuses that have seen on-campus shootings. Many of the known cases of campus violence were caused by international students, immigrants and those with foreign background. While being a foreigner is not an excuse for violent behavior, it appears that cultural shock and depression among other factors are the main reasons behind those incidents. With the recent changes in gun laws I would like to explain the main reasons for campus shootings and how to prevent them.

A study by the United States government that analyzed 37 incidents of school violence between 1984 and 2008 found that greater than 50% of all attackers were at some point diagnosed with extreme depression and anxiety followed by alcohol and drug problems (25%). Depression is the last stage of cultural shock phenomenon that faces every immigrant. During this stage, one usually experiences the more severe physical and emotional effects of cultural adjustment. Here are some pointers for campus-safety professionals that will help prevent such problems:

• Services for foreign students need to be expanded with more emphasis on improving orientation programs. Target at-risk students and monitor them by talking with them frequently, forming small groups, and have teachers report any change in behavior.
• Pre-admission screening and counseling are urged to familiarize potential students with the American educational system, standards of academic performance, social behavior, American culture, US holidays and common traditions. It will help them understand their neighbors, fellow students or co-workers.
• Promote free English as Second Language programs for foreign students. Not knowing English language can create a barrier, make individuals feel isolated and slow down academic progress. Although grades may vary from failing to honor roll status, most school shooters have a tested IQ of above average.
• Help students make new friends. Investigators have found that all school shooters let their intentions leak out, leaving glaring warning signs and numerous clues of their intention. These included making statements to friends and classmates. Some shooters even warned friends what day they planned on doing the shooting instructing them to skip school for their safety.
• Have a trained psychiatrist on staff, who will monitor and report disturbing behaviors among international students. Although only a few school shooters were formally diagnosed with a mental illness prior to the attacks, depression, mental illness and violence often go together.
• Advertise the campus Suicide Hot-line, that would be monitored by a trained campus-safety professional. An examination of past school assignments turned in by shooters often reflected an underlining theme of deep depression and suicide.
• Cooperate with the local law enforcement agencies and initiate background checks if necessary. Records show that just slightly more than half of school shooters had a prior weapon offense related criminal record.
• Install professional grade metal detectors at all the entrances and exits and enforce concealed weapon laws on campus. All shooters reported getting their weapons was easy. Approximately 66% took the gun from their own home or that of a relative where they were often unsecured. Others were given the guns as gifts, while others stole the guns from neighbors.
• Enforce Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and FBI status checks on international students. With more than 540,000 international students enrolled in U.S. universities and colleges, the three largest groups of international students in the “high risk” category are from South and East Asia (55%), Europe (15%), and Latin America (12%).
• Conduct regular safety meetings involving parents and local community. Students, educators, parents and law enforcement should take all threats and information indicating possible violence seriously.

Most campus safety experts agree that shooting incidents can take place anywhere, and they also agree that a common set of emergency preparedness policies and procedures should be in place at every college and university. But findings of a new study suggest that many institutions lack the key elements of a preparedness policy seen as necessary to prevent, respond, and recover from mass casualty events.

Recent Incidents.

The most recent campus fatal shootings committed by a foreign scholar include, but are definitely not limited to:

• Virginia Tech massacre. It took place April 16, 2007 on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. In two separate attacks, approximately two hours apart, the perpetrator, Seung-Hui Cho, killed 32 people and wounded many others.
• Trolley Square shooting by Sulejman Talovic was a shooting spree that occurred on February 12, 2007, at Trolley Square Mall in Salt Lake City, Utah. Even though this instance is not classified as school violence, it’s included in this report due to the close proximity to University of Utah campus.
• Simon’s Rock College of Bard massacre. Wayne Lo is a Taiwanese American murderer who perpetrated the shooting at this college campus on December 14, 1992 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.
• The University of Iowa, which occurred at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa on November 1, 1991. The gunman, 28-year-old Gang Lu, had killed four faculty members and one student.