The May 26th San Jose shootings left 10 people dead as of this writing, including the gunman. Additionally, several people were injured, all employees of the same organization.
The San Jose shootings are an example of classic workplace violence, which is becoming so frequent in the U.S. that many people now consider it a part of the American way of life.
We at TAL Global do not want to go that far.
However, we believe these mass shootings are symbolic of a country that has become much more tense, anxious, and violent. Further, they reflect what happens when nothing is done about a situation.
Elon Musk of Tesla is quoted as saying:
Some people don’t like change, but you need to embrace change if the alternative is disaster.
It appears to us that we have long ago reached the point of disaster when it comes to mass shooting events in this country. Change, starting in Congress, is long overdue.
With that said, here are two more security insights we would like to share about the recent San Jose shootings:
No 1. There are warning signs and there were in the San Jose Shootings.
In almost all violent shooting events including the San Jose shootings, there are warning signs that someone is about to commit a violent act or might commit a violent act.
In this case, Samuel James Cassidy, identified as the gunman, was described as someone who made some of his coworkers “fearful.” One of his neighbors said he was short-tempered. “I was afraid of him, and my wife was scared of him too. He lived alone. We never saw anyone else going to his house.”
He told others that he was concerned about his mental health, and while she had not seen him in several years, his last girlfriend described him as “mentally unstable.”
These were all hints that Cassidy might commit a violent act. All too often, in workplace-type settings, these hints are overlooked. Especially now, in a tense, anxious country that has turned much more violent, we can no longer ignore these hints.
No. 2 Shootings feed on each other.
So far, in 2021, we have already seen 232 mass shootings, including the recent incident in San Jose, plus we just had one more in Florida. A mass shooting is defined as an incident in which four or more people are killed.
At this rate, 2021 may go down as having more mass shootings than any year in American history, and there is a very solid reason for predicting this. We know that mass shootings seem to encourage other mass shootings. People that are upset, angry, or violent often see the last mass shooting as an opportunity to commit their attack.
Forensic psychologists say that many would-be mass shooters see themselves as a part of a brotherhood of like-minded people. They see other shooters as idols and pioneers.
Whether this is the case with Cassidy, we do not know. Details about him may be even harder to determine because, minutes before he committed his violent acts, he burned his house down. However, the stats speak for themselves. One mass shooting tends to inspire another.
About TAL Global
TAL Global is an international security consulting and risk management firm with over 28 years of proven experience. We protect people, places, assets, and logistics in an increasingly complex and connected world.
Operating across the full landscape of security risk, our work includes workplace violence prevention, executive protection, investigations, travel security, emergency preparedness, and more.
Our team includes former federal agents, military veterans, executive level leaders, and crisis response experts recognized for delivering results under pressure. We are trusted by Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and mission driven organizations worldwide.
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