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Different Types of Role Model Influence and Fame Seeking Among Mass Killers and Copycat Offenders Peter Langman, Ph.D. Contagion and copycat behavior among mass killers is often dis- shooting contagion and copycat effects have focused on estab- cussed in the media when there are multiple attacks within a lishing whether or not previous attackers influenced subsequent short span of time. Proximity in time, however, does not neces- attackers, in what is essentially a binary fashion (Kissner, 2016; sarily mean that one attack inspired another. This study exam- Lankford & Tomek, 2017; Towers et al., 2015). This is an im- ines the most straightforward cases of role-modeling and fame- portant first step, and potential copycat cases could certainly seeking among mass killers, in which the perpetrators personally be categorized as simply a “yes” if there was evidence of direct acknowledged these types of influence and motivation in their influence from a previous attacker, or “no” if there was no such own lives. Instead of simply categorizing potential copycat of- evidence. Beyond this, some researchers have looked closer and fenders in a “yes”/“no” binary fashion, it outlines many different noted that different copycat offenders may reference, study, and/ types of influence, imitation, and inspiration and then provides or imitate previous offenders (Follman & Andrews, 2015; Larkin, evidence on perpetrators who represent examples of each type. 2009). However, the many nuances of these types of influence Overall, findings suggest that most killers were not gaining in- and how they may have contributed to the perpetrators’ motiva- sights into attack methodology from their role models, but rath- tions for violence have not been sufficiently explored. er were drawn to the prior perpetrators for a variety of personal There are two related aspects of this phenomenon. One is reasons. Looking ahead, because of the frequency of mass killers the extent that later attacks are inspired by previous attacks. citing previous perpetrators as role models or sources of inspira- The other is the extent to which killers are motivated by the tion, it is critical that media outlets give careful consideration to desire for fame. These two factors intersect because one of the how they cover such incidents. frequently cited reasons for imitating a previous attacker is to receive the same recognition that that perpetrator received. This article will explore different aspects and manifestations he concept of contagion or copycat behavior among mass of imitation and inspiration, as well as review evidence of the Tkillers is often discussed in the media when there are mul- attacks being motivated at least partly by the desire for fame. tiple attacks within a short span of time. Proximity in time, From the outset, it needs to be stated that previous attacks do however, does not necessarily mean that one attack inspired not cause subsequent attacks in a simplistic sense: the vast ma- another. This article presents direct evidence of previous per- jority of people would never commit a mass killing, regardless of petrators serving as role models or inspiration for subsequent the circumstances. There are many factors that contribute to acts perpetrators. Beyond simply documenting this influence, how- of mass violence, including psychological issues, social setbacks, ever, the article seeks to demonstrate the many variations of adversity or crises, and the impact of body-related concerns (Lang- role-modeling, imitation, and inspiration. Most studies of mass man, 2009; 2015; Newman et al., 2004; Vossekuil et al., 2002). Reprinted with permission from American Behavioral Scientist 1–19 (2017). Copyright © 2017 by SAGE Publications. DOI 10.1177/0002764217739663 WWW.SCHOOLSHOOTERS.INFO Peter Langman, Ph.D. Version 1.0 (26 December 2017) 1 Nonetheless, many shooters cite previous attackers as role multiple different ways. The current categorizations are based models or influences. Though this article addresses role models on available information, and because it cannot be assumed that who themselves committed shootings in the not too distant past, our knowledge of the shooters if complete, it is possible that these are not the only types of role models found among mass the shooters might belong in additional categories but failed shooters. Another category consists of historical figures such to leave a full record of the dynamics involved in their copycat as Hitler and Napoleon (Helfgott, 2015; Langman, 2017a), and a behavior. Nevertheless, these categories provide a conceptual third category includes fictional figures. For example, the book guide for the many different ways that offenders have been Rage and the film Natural Born Killers have been cited as influ- influenced by previous attackers. ences by multiple attackers (Helfgott, 2015; Langman, 2017b). OFFENDER CURIOSITY AND RESEARCH METHOD Many shooters not only knew about previous attackers but also This study examined the most straightforward and unambigu- conducted research on them. This frequently involved online ous cases of role-modeling and fame-seeking among mass kill- research, such as reading media articles or consuming other ers, in which the perpetrators personally acknowledged these types of internet news, but several shooters are also known to types of influence and motivation in their own lives. The evi- have read magazine articles or books on various mass murder- dence presented consists of oral and written statements by the ers or serial killers. perpetrators themselves, including comments made both before On 20 May 1988, a woman committed a multi-pronged and after their attacks, as well as evidence from their computers attack against dozens of people, including shooting several and other materials found during post-attack investigations. students at Hubbard Woods Elementary School in Winnetka, As other researchers have noted, limiting a study to this type Illinois. People Magazine published an article about the perpetra- of direct evidence from the perpetrators themselves creates a tor and her attack on 6 June 1988. A young man in Greenwood, very high standard (Lankford, 2016). The benefit is that what a South Carolina, reportedly was fascinated by the magazine story, perpetrator said or wrote is an objective fact and part of the his- and read the article daily until he committed his own school torical record, much like other elements of these perpetrators’ shooting at Oakland Elementary School on 26 September 1988. behavior, such as target selection or weapon choice. In other After he was captured, he said, “I could understand where she words, this study presents many direct quotes from the perpetra- was coming from. I think I may have copied her” (Langman, tors that essentially allows them to speak for themselves. At the 2015, p. 148). The Oakland Elementary shooter was also reading same time, not all mass killers are known to have made such a book about a serial killer the night before his attack. statements, even if they may have shared similar influences Separately, at least two shooters are known to have owned or motives, so the cost of maintaining such a high standard of the book Why Kids Kill: Inside the Minds of School Shooters: one evidence is the inevitable lack of fully comprehensive coverage. who attacked at Arapahoe High School in Colorado in 2013, This article will not present every known or suspected case and another who attacked in Munich, Germany in 2016. The of role-modeling or fame-seeking behavior, because there are Arapahoe shooter also had the book Columbine: A True Crime many offenders whose influences and motives remain a matter Story, and he even made a PowerPoint presentation about the of speculation. Instead, it will focus on identifying a variety of book (Langman, 2017a). In addition, at least five other school types of influence, imitation, and inspiration and then provid- shooters have written essays on school shootings as part of their ing direct evidence on perpetrators who represent examples coursework (Langman, 2017b). of each type. The most extreme example of research appears to be the Though the focus of this study is primarily on school shoot- 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School killer. He created a mas- ers, occasional reference will be made to other similar types of sive spreadsheet containing minute details on five hundred perpetrators who attacked at other locations. Relevant cases for killers. He also edited Wikipedia entries on various killers, which direct evidence of role-modeling and fame-seeking could typically adding details regarding the firearms they used (Lysiak, be found were identified primarily by examining perpetrators 2013). His primary interest appeared to be in Columbine; his listed in two sources: Langman’s (2015) study of 48 high school, computer contained “hundreds of documents, images, [and] college, and adult school shooters, and Langman’s (2017a) study videos pertaining to the Columbine H.S. massacre including of 55 mass killers who were influenced by historical figures or what appears to be a complete copy of the investigation” (Sed- previous attackers. A total of 32 relevant cases with accompany- ensky, 2013, p. A217). ing evidence were found. In some cases, perpetrators have admitted a direct connec- To provide structure, the perpetrators’ behaviors and motiva- tion between their research and inspiration to commit these tions have been divided into categories (see Table 1 and Table 2). crimes. For example, the Pine Middle School Shooter who at- These categories often overlap or co-occur, which means that the tacked in Reno, Nevada in 2006 reportedly “researched Col- same shooter could be influenced or inspired by a role model in umbine and other school shootings online, and read copies of WWW.SCHOOLSHOOTERS.INFO Peter Langman, Ph.D. Version 1.0 (26 December 2017) 2 diaries and journals” of the Columbine killers. He also told the umbine killer as a god. A teenager who committed a mass police that Columbine “kind of inspired me. If they could do it, stabbing at Franklin Regional High School in Murrysville, I thought I could do it” (Langman, 2017a).