The Cause and Effect of Rapid Mass Murder©

The protocol for our “Rapid Mass Murder”, (RMM©) database is “Within 20 minutes, 4 or more murdered at the same time and public place”. Worldwide, along with support from probable cause evidence, we also count incidents of attempted RMM© by random actors in schools and workplaces. We do not tally military, police, terrorist or gang actions. By design, our protocol gives us a very specific, smaller and more manageable database, (currently around 150 incidents). The active killer, (“One who commits Rapid Mass Murder”), should be viewed as a rabid rogue human for valid reasons outlined below.

THE “STOPWATCH OF DEATH”©

The “Stopwatch of Death” (SWD©) is our quantification model that provides a reliable unit of measurement with which to determine the scale of one active killer incident relative to another. It is the total number of murder attempts, (killed and wounded), divided by the killing time when it is known. For instance, Columbine High School in Littleton, CO had a SWD© factor of 2.9, by two cowardly murderers. Because active killers are over 98% alone, we have seen that Columbine is not only ancient history, but their combined body-count has been far exceeded by lone murderers.

Our SWD© factor has revealed that lone killers can and have achieved attempted murders and body-counts faster than one per second. For example, the 1996 Tasmania Australia Broad Arrow Café, (un-aborted, the first of a 3 location shooting spree), had 12 murdered and 10 wounded in 15 seconds for a SWD© factor of 88.0. Closer to home in 2011 was Congresswoman Gifford’s Tucson, AZ shopping center meet & greet where 6 were murdered and 13 were wounded, also in 15 seconds, for a SWD© factor of 76.0, (aborted by unarmed citizens). How long it took someone to notify police in Tucson is unknown, but they arrived 4 minutes after being notified.

“Rapid Mass Murder”© is a foreseeable occurrence. It is only the where, when and how that is unknown. Our media is satiated with the effects of RMM©, (“If it bleeds, it leads”). It is the causes that seem to mystify normal folk. Following are five primary cause factors: Mental health issues; Violent video games that players practice criminality and killing; Media motivations; Faulty thinking on “Gun-Free” zones, and; Failure to protect.

Budgetary problems, not enough money for armed professionals? There is an untapped resource, free volunteer armed security force composed of parents, (and able-bodied Grandparents), who are already permitted to carry a concealed firearm. There would be a minimal start-up expense for advanced and periodic refresher training. Prior military or police candidates should be a sought after commodity.

THE FINAL OPTION AND THE LAW ENFORCEMENT TIME HANDICAP

Law enforcement is handicapped by “delayed notification time, call taking time, officer response time, entry time, locating the killer time in a typically huge facility, and dealing with the killer time”. Police always respond to RMM©, but only about half of these incidents are stopped or aborted by anyone. In the un-aborted half of RMM, the murdering stops only when the murderer says it stops. The final option for law enforcement is armed intervention. The final option for citizens is to submit or attack the attacker.

Because the vast majority of locations are Utopian declared “gun-free” zones, it is unarmed citizens that stop the killing, (or die trying), in the majority of their aborts.

Of the half of RMM© incidents that are aborted, it is the already-on-site citizens that do the heavy lifting, stopping the killing about 2/3rds of the time. (If legally armed citizens were permitted in these facilities, there would be far less bloodshed and tragedy). Law enforcement stops the killing in only one third of the RMM© incidents that are aborted due to their handicap of time.

MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES

Those that research post “Rapid Mass Murder”© incident literature will quickly gain probable cause intelligence that mental health issues are at the top of the list of causative factors. One need not have a background in psychiatry to recognize the evil dark side of someone becoming a rabid rogue human, or in the aftermath of their deeds.

Inevitably, after a RMM© incident, there will be folks that come out of the woodwork to share what “Numerous Unstable or Troubling Symptoms”, (NUTS©), they were aware of in these cowardly murderers. Often, because of their failure to report this and other information to an appropriate authority, they, their friends or other innocents die. The advice of “If you see something, say something”, certainly applies here.

VIOLENT “KILLING” VIDEO GAMES

Next to mental health issues is the obsession of playing video killing games. Potential active killers are greatly affected by their use. Juveniles are especially susceptible to the “Copycat Effect”. Also helpful toward understanding the motives of young active killers is knowing that full maturity of the human brain may not occur until 25 or 30 years of age, In combination with an already diseased mind, practicing, especially becoming addicted to video games that involve killing is a simply a recipe for mass tragedy.

In LTC/Ret. Dave Grossman's, (U.S. Army Ranger, West Point Professor of Psychology, Author, Presenter, Etc.), book "Stop Teaching Kids To Kill", he and his co-author make a dynamite case against violent TV/Movies and most especially video killing games. An important key against youth playing or an obsession with video killing games, is not merely what they are watching, but the myriad of repetitions that stimulate the brain to respond with simulated killing actions.

Grossman says the cause and effect is this excessive and harmful practice of STIMULUS and RESPONSE, Stimulus-Response, Etc. Based on science, elaborate tests have proven an arousal is occurring in different parts of the brain while playing these killing games.

Our take on his and others work is an analogy: It is uncontested that TV commercials do work to sell product, otherwise businesses would not waste money on them. Perhaps the biggest example is the millions paid for a 30 second commercial during the Super Bowl.

Most any long-time military, law enforcement, firearm, sports or martial art trainer, will be very aware of what perfect repeated practice is necessary to achieve the last and highest of 4 stages of competence, that of Unconscious Competence or Auto-Pilot. Can the violent killing video game effect be harnessed for "good"? Yes! For some time, our military has been using modified video games for their training. Should young people outside the military be practicing killing with video games? Of course not! As an unhealthy practice, it is a parental responsibility to stop them from doing so.

AIDED AND ABETTED BY THE MEDIA

While heretofore unintentional, print, Internet and televised media must now share responsibility for motivating copycat “Rapid Mass Murder”. We have long recommended shunning of both the mass murderer’s name and picture, to remove what is at least a partial motive for committing mass murder in the first place. To this end we coined the descriptive term “Instant Celebrity Status”©, for which many copycat active killers have both sought, and received, in life or by their choice, death. Our take is asking the media to participate in the idea of such shunning has been gaining traction. In a 122213 article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper, by Jack Healy of the New York Times, “Plea Goes Up: Leave Shooters Unnamed” he wrote “.... many families of victims and law enforcement have begun urging journalists and public officials to avoid using the gunman’s names and photos”, denying what many active killers actually seek.

GRADE “A” FOR FIRE SAFETY, “F” FOR PROTECTION FROM MURDER

Schools certainly have a custodial responsibility to run safe and secure facilities. In his national presentations, Dave Grossman, has commented that when it comes to Fire Safety, schools and their Fire Departments deserve an “A” for zero deaths by fire in many years. On his web site, (www.killology.com), he notes that according to the US Secret Service, in 1998 alone we had 35 kids MURDERED in acts of school violence, and a QUARTER OF A MILLION were seriously injured. Remember, the likelihood of having your children killed or injured in a school shooting is THOUSANDS of times greater than the probability of them being killed or injured in a school fire. When confronted by an active killer, no one should be forced to take him on empty-handed.

WISHFUL BUT TRULY FAULTY THINKING: “GUN-FREE” ZONES

Unfortunately, the Utopian outlook of some school and workplace administrators seems to ignore the seriousness of the growing copycat “Rapid Mass Murder problem. A law, rule or sticker declaring a facility to be a “Gun-free” zone only empowers the health, welfare and safety of these cowardly murderers. These allegedly “forbidden” facilities only serve as a lure or magnet for potential murderers who prefer these locations so as to have free access to unarmed and defenseless victims. In a sense, “Gun-Free” zones actually aid and abet active killers.

Consider the analogy of our stop sign or red light laws. They depend on the voluntary compliance of good and honest citizens. Not counting the unintended violations that cause traffic crashes, we have all seen “Scoff-laws” who have intentionally violated a stop sign or red light. The concept is the same for who does and does not obey alleged “Gun-free” zones.

It appears to be a Utopian practice to throw money at some problems. In some schools and workplaces, ineffective, (to stop the killing), cameras, metal detectors and hiring unarmed security,money is squandered on false “feel good” intentions that do not solve the problem. Money is better spent hiring real armed security, arming teachers, or at a minimum improving the locking hardware in classrooms and offices to establish “Safe rooms” for lockdowns when appropriate.

“FIVE PHASES OF THE ACTIVE SHOOTER”

No information about “Rapid Mass Murder”© by active killers would be complete without mentioning our friend Lt. Dan Marcou’s great work. While he addresses his five phases from the law enforcement perspective, they appear to be equally true for citizens. Marcou, a retired officer from the Lacrosse (Wisconsin) Police Department describes five opportunities for law enforcement to intervene before shots are fired:

FANTASY: The suspect fantasizes about the act and the prestige it will bring. He may discuss his desires with others. If news of the fantasy reaches law enforcement, police may intervene before the gunman takes his first shot.
PLANNING: The shooter decides "who, what, when, where and how." He may put his plans in writing or discuss them with others. If police are tipped at this time, intervention can be made prior to a shooting spree.
PREPARATION: The suspect gathers weapons and ammo for the event. He may let friends know to steer clear of the area that day. If friends contact police, officers may be able to take action.
APPROACH: The suspect has made his plans and has decided to act. He will be moving toward his intended location armed with the tools of death. Law enforcement contact at this point may arise in a traffic stop, citizen call or "Terry Stop." Thorough investigation can lead the gunman to jail before he squeezes the trigger.
IMPLEMENTATION: Here, the shooter opens fire and this is where immediate action on law enforcement's part is required.

CONCLUSION

For good reason, “Rapid Mass Murder”© generally occurs where firearms are strictly forbidden, such as the Utopian so-called “Gun-Free” zones. For example, education facilities, followed by workplace offices, where a great number of defenseless innocents may be found, are most often targeted. Forbidding firearms does not “apply” to the active killer, as there is typically no effective strategy in these Utopian areas to stop him from entering. Typically, when an active killer confronts defenseless innocents, expecting the innocents especially children, to save themselves is not an effective strategy to stop the bloodshed.

A rabid rogue human possessing “remote control” weapons has quite a tactical advantage over unarmed innocent victims. In these deadly encounters, any courageous unarmed attempt to stop an active killer is very dangerous and predictably produces casualties. We certainly applaud the unarmed innocents that have tried, especially those successful at stopping the killing and survived. We have categorized five major causes of “Rapid Mass Murder”© and shared the potential interruption of the active killer with Marcou’s 5 Phases of the Active Shooter. There is a relevant quote here: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. (Edmund Burke).

What is urgently needed is for good legislators and administrators to understand that an already-on-site good legally armed person is far safer and more effective than untrained and unarmed innocents attempting hand-to-hand combat against an active killer armed with knives, guns, Molotov cocktails, Etc. Concealed carry Administrators, Teachers, and Volunteer plainclothes parents, (especially former or present military or police), are far more concrete solutions than any Utopian fantasy. Emotional naysayer’s that predict a rash of firearm accidents and OK Corral gunfights have never been proved right in the past about armed citizen laws, and cannot objectively document their position on legally permitted guns in schools or workplaces.

About the author: Ron Borsch is a Viet Nam Veteran, (1965-66 U.S. Army Paratrooper, 101st Airborne), was a full time career law enforcement officer, (3 decades Bedford OH/PD which included a couple decades as Rangemaster, Pistol Team Captain, SWAT and Chief DT & Arrest Control Instructor). He has been a training devotee, attending consecutive annual National-International training seminars since 1977. After completing a LE career, he served as manager and lead trainer for SEALE Regional Police Training academy for 17 years, attracting officers from over a hundred LE agencies and from nine states and has been a paid evaluator for 3 communities active killer response training. As a free agent trainer, he has presented in five states, has been interviewed or authored dozens of articles published on prestigious LE Internet sites.