Currently, the top issue in most security
or law enforcement publications and websites is the threat of active shooters.
Since the horrific murders at Sandy Hook Elementary, the public’s attention has
also been drawn back to the topic of active shooters.
Active shooters have certainly become the
“crime du jour.” The danger in this is that other would-be murderers will
fantasize about mass shootings as the way to carry out some high-publicity and
hideous crime. If you look back at past decades, it seems that other trends in
crimes have captivated the public and most likely, in some cases, attracted the
criminal mind to that particular offense in a search for notoriety.
In the 1930’s, bootleggers and gangsters
of the likes of Al Capone filled the headlines. After prohibition, some of the
most famous criminals were known for bank robberies and the willingness to
shoot it out with police – eventually only to be on the losing end, such as
Bonnie and Clyde or John Dillinger.
In the 1960’s, killers turned to
assassination as the means to build a name for themselves and garner attention.
Some of the assassinations of the period remain the most notorious and well-known
today, such as Martin Luther King, Robert and John Kennedy.
The decade of the 70’s saw a move into
hijackings as a way to get attention and try to build attention around a cause.
The decade also brought us some infamous serial killers, such as Ted Bundy.
Throughout the 80’s, serial killers struck fear with the likes of Dennis Rader,
as the Bind/Torture/Kill (BTK) killer and Jeffery Dahmer, who was known for
necrophilia and even eating his victims.
The 1990’s brought us Columbine and one
of the more heinous cases of an active shooter. Since then, we’ve seen many
forms of mass murder from China, Norway and in the U.S. Churches, hospitals,
Amish schools and colleges have all been targets, culminating most recently in
Sandy Hook.
Of course, this is hardly a scientific
analysis of criminal mindsets. Many of these criminals tracked the news stories
about what they had done or had left messages stating that they hoped to top
the last major violent crime with more death and destruction left behind.
This criminal evolution or progression
will undoubtedly continue. There is an old saying that generals try to re-fight
the last war. It is important to be alert to new tactics that killers may use
to commit the latest hideous and disgusting crime to top the charts…at least
until the next one after that.
Eric
Smith, CPP is the leading authority on organizational self-defense. He has extensive experience in law
enforcement as well as security management.
Eric is available for staff education and security awareness training as
well as business coaching to help organizations provide safe workplaces. To learn more email eric@businesskarate.com.
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