Wayne State University Wayne State University Dissertations 1-1-2017 Mass Shootings As Issue Management Exigencies And Focusing Events For Public Policy Debates Melvin Gupton Wayne State University, Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_dissertations Part of the Communication Commons, Criminology and Criminal Justice Commons, and the Public Policy Commons Recommended Citation Gupton, Melvin, "Mass Shootings As Issue Management Exigencies And Focusing Events For Public Policy Debates" (2017). Wayne State University Dissertations. 1805. http://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_dissertations/1805 This Open Access Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@WayneState. It has been accepted for inclusion in Wayne State University Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@WayneState. MASS SHOOTINGS AS ISSUE MANAGEMENT EXIGENCIES AND FOCUSING EVENTS FOR PUBLIC POLICY DEBATES by MELVIN GUPTON DISSERTATION Submitted to the Graduate School of Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY 2017 MAJOR: COMMUNICATION STUDIES Approved By: _________________________________________ Advisor Date _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________ © COPYRIGHT BY MELVIN GUPTON 2017 All Rights Reserved DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to the memory of my late father, Sylvester Gupton, Sr. who taught me through example the dignity of making an honest living to support one’s family. I also dedicate this work to my esteemed brother, U.S. Airman Sylvester Gupton, Jr., who suddenly passed away right before this work was completed. In addition, I dedicate this dissertation to one of the most supportive parents alive, my mother Lizzie Mae Gupton. Thank you mom for supporting me through the formative years while I was a cub scout, Boy Scout, safety patrolman, science fair contestant, White House intern, and even a city executive. Finally, I want to thank the remaining seven of my siblings and closest friends for their support and encouragement throughout this process. Angela Gupton, Martha Gupton, Lizzie Patterson, William Lesure, Louise Bennett, Karya Hunt, and Daisy Hill, you are the best. To Joseph Forney, the tech guru, for your unconditional support and uncommon wisdom; integrity is your signature strength and is contagious. To Pizarro Lovelace, the international traveler, for calling me “Doctor” years before I wrote a single word of this dissertation. You, sir, are a godsend who brings balance and laughter to a world in need. To Wilner Badere (in memoriam) for teaching me much of what I know about finances and the value of honing a global perspective. To Willie Walker, Tom Goss, Arthur Brown, Carl Wilson, Gary Greene, Georgia Boyd, Jennifer Davis, Martha Leverett, James Petty, Ronald Collis, Charles Ohno, Cylenthia LaToye Miller, Cynthia Bell, Janisse Green, John King, Calvin Sharp, Dorothy Quinn, Lester Gayden, Jackie Cooper, Christopher Raup, Anthony Darden, Ray Ellison, Bonnie Bizzell, and Kenneth Cockrel, Jr., my friends and respected mentors, thank you for your example of ethical and dedicated public servants and consummate professionals. To countless friends, relatives and students not mentioned here, I thank and honor you all. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to especially thank the members of my graduate committee: Dr. Matthew Seeger, Dr. Julie Novak, Dr. Donyale Griffin Padgett, and Dr. Scott Julian. Their guidance, expertise, and patience throughout my doctoral program at Wayne State University are without parallel and greatly appreciated. Dr. Novak’s insistence on effective writing and a sound methodology that drives the total research design is foundational for any of my future research endeavors. As my co-advisor, her contributions hold lifelong significance for the skilled researcher. Dr. Padgett, part advisor and part mentor/trainer, is expert at showing how to place research results “in contention” with existing scholarship. She showed me how to be a critical yet principled scholar. For modeling a professor of excellence, integrity and engagement, I also acknowledge Dr. Julian who inspired me to demonstrate ethics in teaching, writing, and research. Finally, I owe a lifetime of gratitude to my advisor, Dr. Seeger who constantly challenged me through every step of the process to think broadly, write clearly, and make meaningful connections between theory and phenomena. A master teacher, author, and dean, he sacrificed countless hours to co-write with me and co-present at conferences. His unparalleled commitment to my success has become the blueprint for my becoming a future professor, researcher and administrator. I would also like to thank the Graduate School, the Department of Communication, the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts, the Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate, and the Office of Teaching and Learning, each for either their program, research, and training support. I also owe a debt of gratitude to the Fitzgibbon-Dermidoff Foundation for financing the completion of the dissertation manuscript – Thank you Jane. iii Finally, I would like to thank a cadre of esteemed and dedicated professors: Dr. Larry Miller, Dr. James Wesley Ward, Dr. Pradeep Sopory, Dr. Fred Vultee, Dr. Hayg Oshagan, Dr. Joseph Dunbar, Dr. Reginald Gerlica, Dr. William Trapani, Dr. Geneva Smitherman, Dr. Walter Edwards, Dr. Alvin Aubert, Dr. Karl Gregory, Dr. Howard Thurman, Dr. Shawn Long, Dr. B. J. Allen, Dr. Linda Hagin, Dr. Lee Meadows, and Dr. Alvin Aubert (in memoriam) for modeling a love of scholarship, love for students, teaching excellence, and genuine mentorship. You all sacrifice much more than anyone can imagine. Thank you. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Dedication ii Acknowledgments iii List of Tables xi Chapter 1: Mass Shootings Activating Public Policy Debates 1 Mass Shootings – An Overview 5 Mass shootings defined 6 Mass shooting frequency 7 Mass shooting causation 8 Mass shooter profiles and universal background checks 9 Mass shooting coverage and controlling the narrative 11 Mass shooting narratives – gun rights versus gun control issues 12 Mass shooting and media framing 13 Mass shooting policies and prevention 14 Primary Assumption One: Mass Shootings as Crises 15 Secondary Assumption Two: Mass Shootings have Three Crisis Stages 19 Theoretical Framework: Crisis and Issues Management Integration 24 Pre-crisis stage 25 Issue defined 26 Crisis stage 27 Post-crisis stage 28 The Four Functions of Issues Management 30 v Issues Management Exemplars 30 Australian massacre and the issue of gun control 31 Columbine massacre and the issues of cause and guns 32 Secondary Theoretical Frame – Birkland’s Focusing Events 33 Research Questions 36 RQ1: What is the nature of mass shootings (who are the stakeholders involved in these crises)? 37 RQ2: What public policy issues emerge in the aftermath of mass shootings? 39 RQ3: How do the stakeholders address public policy issues arising from mass shootings? 39 RQ4: How do public policy issues develop over time following a mass shooting and do these crises vary from case to case? 41 Mass Shooting Cases 43 Conclusion 44 Chapter 2: Method 46 Content Analysis Method 46 Synopsis of the Three Cases 51 The theater shooting and mental health 52 The elementary school shooting and the most vulnerable 53 The AME church shooting and the Confederate flag 54 Procedures 55 Article selection and coding process 58 Identification of the Data Sets 60 Data collection – Aurora, Colorado and the theater shooting 61 vi Data collection – Newtown, Connecticut and an elementary school shooting 62 Data collection – Charleston, South Carolina and a historic church 63 Coding categories, definitions and the codebook 64 Analysis 69 Conclusion 71 Chapter 3: A Theater Shooting in Aurora 73 Narrative of the Aurora Theater Shooting 73 Identification of Public Policy Debate Issues 80 Significance – Public Policy Issues 84 Identification of Stakeholders and their Discourse 85 Significance – Most Referenced Stakeholders 89 Significance – Most Quoted Stakeholders 94 Exemplars of stakeholder discourse 95 The Unfolding Public Policy Debate on Guns – 30 Days of News Coverage 102 Reporting during days 1-10 105 Reporting during days 11-20 108 Reporting during days 21-30 110 Summary and Conclusions 111 Chapter 4: A School Shooting in Newtown 115 Narrative of the Newtown School Shooting 115 Identification of Public Policy Debate Issues 125 Significance – Public Policy Issues 129 Identification of Stakeholders and their Discourse 130 vii Significance – Most Referenced Stakeholders 134 Significance – Most Quoted Stakeholders 138 Exemplars of stakeholder discourse 140 The Unfolding Public Policy Debate on Guns – 30 Days of News Coverage 149 Reporting during days 1-10 150 Reporting during days 11-20 152 Reporting during days 21-30 152 Summary and Conclusions 153 Chapter 5: A Church Shooting in Charleston 157 Narrative of the Charleston Church Shooting 157 Identification of Public Policy Debate Issues 167 Significance – Public Policy Issues 170 Identification of Stakeholders and their Discourse 171 Significance – Most Referenced Stakeholders 176 Significance – Most Quoted Stakeholders 180 Exemplars of stakeholder discourse 181 The Unfolding Public Policy Debate on Guns – 30 Days of News Coverage 185 Reporting during days 1-10 186 Reporting during days 11-20 188 Reporting during days 21-30 189