largest mass shooting in us history

largest mass shooting in us history

Understanding the Largest Mass Shooting in US History: A Multidisciplinary Analysis

1. Introduction to the Topic

opened fire in the Pulse nightclub. After killing 49 patrons and injuring another 53, the assailant held off a response by police for three hours, at which time he was killed in a shootout. The event caused shockwaves across the nation, and into nations of people with varied political, social, and academic interests. Many factors, including fear, prejudice, and interpretations about American psyche, influenced the way multiple audiences interpreted accounts and analyses of this violent event. This article is directed towards readers of the Journal of Trauma in different academic fields, with an interest in the challenges trauma presents through interdisciplinary dialogue. It also introduces a multidisciplinary collection of articles in this journal in which other authors from varying fields of study offer their unique perspectives.

On a warm Sunday evening, 12 June 2016, a large crowd of nearly 300 people moved rhythmically to the music of DJ Rayvon. Nicknamed “Big Guy” at the popular nightclub due to his warm and friendly personality, Frank Hernandez worked to secure places around the exclusive VIP section. With the start of the workweek only a few hours away, most of the patrons knew they would not be home before sunrise. Some would never return to their homes in the morning. Just after 2:00 o’clock, patrons heard a “pop-pop” sound which they believe was part of the rhythm of a firecracker. When the “pops” were heard once more, panic ensued when some club-goers recognized the sound of a pistol. This horrific incident did not occur in Iraq or Afghanistan, yet it was the deadliest mass shooting in US history.

2. Historical Context of Mass Shootings in the US

The story of Whitman, who was the first in the series of random mass shootings by unstable gun-toting individuals, led to the concept of sensory overload. Whitman, in a letter he wrote days before his rampage, was aware that he should not kill to relieve emotional tension. He appealed to science, which could find “the cause of my stomach unease, and create a pill for excretion of nerves.” The current trend has been to think that all kinds of problematic behavior might be reduced by rational therapy rather than adopt a radical solution. Since this request also went unheeded, America remains a violent, disaffected society, where the rich and the poor live in different universes, the nation’s leaders refuse to lead, and individuals pay lip service to complexity while doing nothing.

The story of modern American mass shootings begins with Charles Whitman, then the deadliest school shooter in U.S. history. From previously not possessing homicidal tendencies (Whitman had no criminal record), he turned into an unstoppable killing machine, shattering many families. A previous student of the University of Texas at Austin who had also been a Marine, Whitman was prepared for his attack on August 1, 1966. He brought six guns and left behind numerous victims and damaged lives. Although it is unlikely that the 1966 Tower shooting by itself is responsible for society’s acceptance of mass shootings in the United States, it cannot be denied that this event, signifying a new era of U.S. mass shootings, is an exemplar of pure destruction.

3. Case Study: The Largest Mass Shooting in US History

The killer is a problem gambler, former mail carrier and accountant with a criminal record (hit and run and bringing weapons on a school possessions of narcotics). His background also includes professional correspondence and misogyny. However, he does not have a formal diagnosable mental illness nor other qualifications to restrict gun access. He worked without incidents, avoided treatment and did not publicize any plans. There are no threats, he portrayed no break, practiced and stocked weapons with ease, placing both escape routes and firearms near.

This case is a targeted attack resulting in 58 deaths from a shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in October 2017. The attack lasted 10 minutes. It emphasizes both the unique vulnerabilities at soft targets and the importance of evacuation and first responder coordination and timing. The unique context of an outdoor festival with 22,000 attendees and the obstacles presented by both scale, open venue with elevated shooter and disperse announcements merit study. Victims are 47 women and 10 men. They are off-duty police, military. The attacker uses hidden cameras around the hotel, rifles and a 65-minute barrage of bullets with high capacity magazines and a bump stock. He tries to shoot propane tanks and ignite a secondary explosion before firing into the concert crowd. The adults range in age from 20 to 67 years, from 3 countries and 1, score from 28 US states.

4. Factors Contributing to Mass Shootings

These occurrences are typically media events, and they are usually well-covered with textual summaries of the events leading up to, during, and following the attack and video images that capture what happened at the location after the fact. Since these incidents have become more common, efforts to predict them have been made. These efforts also have benefits to security planners and others because it helps in understanding that “one size fits all” aspects do not accurately describe perpetrators who use firearms to target vulnerable individuals. Characteristics, such as prior history of mass shootings, and social connections with other suspected or convicted mass shooters, might be useful in building models for identifying individuals at risk of committing similar acts.

Mass shootings are of wide interest in the fields of criminology, sociology, and psychology. While the inherent violence in these events draws attention to the sociocultural aspects of mass shootings, there has been much more limited examination of the physical aspect of such events. For example, it is known that most mass shootings are carried out using firearms, but is there a reason why other weapons are not frequently used? Moreover, the inherent efficiency of the firearm in these types of destructive behavior leads to more deaths and casualties compared to most other lethal means. Increased understanding of the nature of these events could help first responders, especially those in the medical field, to better prepare themselves, their places of business, and how to most effectively mitigate the injury from firearms in a mass casualty event.

5. Prevention and Intervention Strategies

Given the nature of the tragic event, its high risks, the potential long-term consequences of and societal scrutiny resulting from the decision to implement withholding intervention, and while fully understanding that practice takes place in the absence of definitive empirical support, this chapter provides practitioners with a guideline on threat assessment and crisis management specifically tailored to the educational setting and offers several recommendations for psychological counseling and public relations/crisis communication. Practical tips for parents and the media are given as well. Suggestions for consultative activities with school districts are included, and a policy analysis of such activities is suggested with implications for homeland security planning.

This chapter provides a comprehensive discussion on the various components of prevention and intervention strategies from various perspectives. More specifically, solutions from substance abuse service organizations, the educational setting, a psychological counseling model, public relations and crisis communication perspective, disaster risk reduction, and policy planning are provided as possible avenues for intervention to reduce the severity of school shootings in the United States. The most basic approach should be the implementation and refinement of zero-tolerance programs in all schools. Furthermore, schools should also include threat assessment and crisis management.