ASSOCIATE Magazine FBINAA Q4-2024

T his mother’s state of shock and disbelief was not the first time investigators received that reaction from a parent. In this case, they finished the interview by giving the mother a bro chure and suggested she review it after they left. Investigators put their business card inside the pamphlet and offered to take the mother’s call if she had any questions. Two days later, the mother called. She had seen several of the behaviors from the brochure in her son. Having digested the information, she understood why law enforcement came to her door – and she shared in their concern. Over the following days and weeks, the mother worked with investigators and juvenile probation to get her son the help he needed to keep both himself and the community safe. MASS SHOOTERS DON'T JUST SNAP Research and operational experience from the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) show that mass shooters don’t just snap. Instead, they think about violence, plan, and gather their materi als before they attack. While there is no “profile” of a mass shooter and no single behavior to predict whether a person will commit violence, most attackers display similar behaviors in advance of their offense. These behaviors may involve giving away posses sions or writing a document to explain their violent actions. Other concerning behaviors include obsessive interest in prior attacks, indications they feel violence is the only way to solve problems, and inability to cope with life stressors. Those with poor social or family support, as well as individuals with access to and prior experience with weapons, can be at increased risk. Often, these overt acts occur over weeks and months, providing opportunities for someone to notice and report the behavior before an attack ever occurs. This identification piece represents the critical first step for security professionals to identify, assess, and manage cases and potential perpetrators of targeted violence. 1 However, the people most likely to see concerning behaviors are not law enforcement officers, bosses, or school faculty – they're friends, family, coworkers, and other members of the general public, often with no formal training on behavioral indicators or what to do if they observe them. Educating our communities about these signs is a key opportunity for preventing the next attack. According to BAU re search, more than half (54 percent) of individuals who observed pre-attack behaviors that were concerning kept that information to themselves until after the attack occurred. Of the 46 percent who chose to say something, half reported their concerns to a non-law enforcement authority, and the majority (82.5 percent) chose to talk about their concerns with the person directly. 2 People who observe pre-attack behaviors may not report their concerns for many reasons. Some examples for bystander hesitation include doubt about the seriousness of their observa tion, confusion about who they should contact, or reluctance to involve themselves in an uncertain situation. Investigators and agencies find it extremely difficult – even impossible – to use precious resources to explore vague reports of a “scary” individual that someone may be “worried about,” or just someone that “might do something violent.” Rather than simply enlist the public to generate more tips to law enforce ment, what if we could share research on concerning behaviors with the public to improve the quality of reporting? By engaging communities with the right information, reporting parties would be more likely to have the knowledge and encouragement to tell

FBINAA.ORG | Q4 2024

authorities about specific behaviors – those based in research on how attackers behave – and provide the basis for focused, thorough investigation and, if necessary, mitigation. A FOCUSED PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN BAU recognized the potential benefit of educating the pub lic on warning signs that might signal a future mass attack. The “Prevent Mass Violence” campaign, launched in June 2024, busts the myth that mass shooters, school shooters, and workplace shooters just “snap.” Located at www.fbi.gov/prevent, this cam paign leans on years of FBI research on mass attacks and their perpetrators to highlight common behaviors displayed prior to an attack. It encourages people who see these behaviors to con sider talking with someone they respect about their concerns. Furthermore, it provides suggestions for contacting law enforce ment if they believe someone is preparing for violence. In addition to the website, the campaign includes resources for law enforcement, schools, workplaces, and healthcare providers. One of the resources is a brochure intended for family and friends of a person of concern. This pamphlet – the same one provided to the mother of the eighth grader – describes BAU research of pre-attack behaviors and warning signs. It makes clear suggestions for actions to take if they observe those behaviors and provides some transparency for what to expect if they choose to make a report. This brochure has been used by investigators to help educate interviewees regarding why law enforcement is concerned about their loved one. Beyond the information in the pamphlet, investigators can leave a physical copy of the brochure so the potential bystander can consider and digest the information after the stress of law enforcement contact has subsided. In this way, the brochure is a readily avail able reference material for a loved one who might be stressed, overwhelmed, or unsure of where to go for help. Paired with a contact card for the investigator who left it, the brochure quite literally suggests what someone should look for and, if they see it, who they should contact. Other campaign resources include infographics, PSA-style videos, FBI research on active shooters, and news articles high lighting successful prevention efforts by local threat assessment and management teams. The BAU will continue to publish simi lar materials across various platforms to reach as broad an audi ence as possible. Nearly all these materials are available digitally on the campaign website. For printed content or requests for presentations, agencies and partners may contact the nearest FBI field office. BUILDING THE SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE At the same time education activates our communities to be a force multiplier for prevention, law enforcement must also grow capability to respond to increased reporting. 3 Sharing awareness with the public assists in the identification phase, which sets the stage for authorities to assess and manage those cases. For its part, FBI BAU worked with FBI field offices and its local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to assess and manage over 1,000 case leads in the last three years. These cases, though highly concerning and complex, represent only a fraction of similar cases managed by law enforcement agencies across the nation.

continued on page 25

19