Echoes of Columbine: School Violence Awareness and Prevention

On Thursday, April 21, 2022, I was privileged to address 90 police chiefs and associate members of the Bergen County Police Chiefs Association (BCPCA).

My remarks were titled Echoes of Columbine: School Violence Awareness and Prevention, and were delivered in Alpine, New Jersey.

As liaison for the BCPCA on issues of leadership, violence prevention, and public safety, I have shared monthly remarks to the association for the last 20 years.

During today’s event, I summarized a 30 minute FBI video titled Echoes of Columbine, and added some of my own insights.

The remarks shared today are as follows: 

Since this week was the anniversary date of Columbine, Apr. 20, 1999:

*23 years later – what have we learned.

*Unprecedented act of American violence

*13 dead and 21 others wounded and two suicides by the shooters

Columbine resonates with a new breed of shooters. Inspired a cult like following, a twisted blue print to follow or surpass.

      The Columbine Effect

Origin of shootings that followed it – the Columbine Effect, a psychological empowering of other shooters – Columbine is their inspiration – one of the first active shooter incidents, that unfolded in real time on International TV.

The two killers screamed their rage & received world-wide attention. Columbine is the template that has inspired over 100 other copy-cat attacks resulting in:

*Hundreds of lives lost

*Countless injuries

The tragic ramifications of Columbine continues.  For example, Virginia Tech’s (32 Dead / 23 wounded) killer (Apr. 16, 2007) wrote essay expressing admiration for the Columbine shootings.

Patterns and Behaviors of a School Shooter

Apparently, there is no typical profile but patterns and behaviors of a school shooter. 

FBI Profiling Unit Conclusion – profiling does not work for school shooters but studies over the last 20 years show many school shooters share common characteristics as follows:

Perceived injustices inflicted upon the attacker, they become an injustice collector with bruises that never heal.

Revenge – born from humiliation and the loss of control.

Need for Attention – their 15 minutes of fame no matter what the price of carnage is to pay for it.

Troubled, alienated, hopeless, withdrawn – desperate to express their dysfunction and brokenness.

Notoriety by the Media is appealing – the twisted notion of being recognize.

Mental Health Concerns

25% of attackers had mental health diagnosis prior to the attack.

Evidence of mental health issues in 61% of the attackers.  These mental health issues are not predictive but may factor in especially with issues of anxiety, depression, hopelessness, domestic violence, instability and family crisis – indicators which may amplify the need to act out the injustices.

90% of some evidence of suicidal ideation.

Pathological Fascination: A Catalyst

Another Catalyst – inspiration from previous attacks – not just an interest in the attacks but a pathological fascination supported by research, articles & video clips.

77% active shooters – including school shooters spend days, weeks, months to prepare – individuals do not just snap – they methodically prepare, often with pre-attack indicators.

Example: Oregon Community College Shooting (Oct. 1, 2015) – 9 dead, 8 wounded, then the shooter’s suicide. 

The shooter was hospitalized multiple times for wanting to harm others.

Like the Virginia Tech Shooter, he prepared a Manifesto – instructing deliver of his to law enforcement.

His warning signs – unbridled anger, false sense of entitlement, hopelessness, loner, no job, and the world was against him – a fascination with Columbine.

Pre-Attack Behavior Indicators

Inordinate impulsiveness

Recklessness

Aggression

Dramatic Changes – Red Flags, often noticeable by others – obsession with weapons and noticeable downward spiral on social media.

Shooters become desensitized to violence and dehumanize others – they are merely statistics.

Leakage, Broadcasting, Manifesto's

One Warning Sign – LEAKAGE – intentional or unintentional signals they are on the path to violence.

BROADCASTING – social media, comments, papers, drawings.

1/3 of cases – MANIFESTOS with detailed motives.  

After Columbine, I was privileged to travel the nation speaking with Jefferson County Sheriff’s Dept. Spokesperson – former tough Motorcycle cop whom I observed unable to watch the shared video coverage of Columbine with the audience, he would leave the assembly – he knew many of the students and families, and was devastated to be reminded of the violence.

Since 1999, I have been privileged to travel the country addressing issues of school violence awareness and prevention.  These concerns have also been covered in scores of published works, as well as my books Listen To Their Cries and Reawakening America.  

Today, I would like to thank the BCPCA for allowing my insights to be shared, so we never forget, and that we work together to prevent additional tragedies. 

Echoes of Columbine - FBI Documentary featuring the DeAngelis Center (Survivor Trigger Warning)

Published as the featured article in The Chief of Police, Official Publication of the National Association of Chiefs of Police, Oct. 27, 2022.  Bove has authored 18 hard copy cover stories for the magazine, with his articles appearing on a quarterly basis uninterruptedly since 2010.

Note Well:

Both my wife Lily and I would like to express our appreciation to the BCPCA for unexpectedly announcing  congratulations for her American citizenship at the event, and for the kind applause from the attendees.

Related Article:

Lily Bove, New American Citizen: A Family Legacy Continues

Read:

Columbine and Virginia Tech Anniversaries: Reverence, Vigilance, Prevention

About the Author

Vincent J. Bove, CPP, is a national speaker and author on issues critical to America with 300 published works.  Bove is founder of Reawakening America LLC and recipient of the FBI Director's Community Leadership Award. Vincent is a former confident of the New York Yankees. His most recent books are Reawakening America and Listen To Their Cries. 

For more information see www.vincentbove.com or twitter@vincentjbove 

Read Vincent's Report

A Crisis of Leadership: A Response to the Virginia Tech Panel Report 

As with many of my presentations, copies of my articles published in The Chief of Police were available to attendees. Today, articles from The Chief of Police, Vol. XXXV were distributed.  Originally, the articles were distributed hard copy to police chiefs and law enforcement executives nationwide by the National Association of Chiefs of Police.  Additionally, they are posted in The Sentinel as follows:

Protecting America’s Houses of Worship, Schools, Facilities: A National Model

Fallen Police Officers Demands America’s Reawakening

Vincent J. Bove has conducted keynotes, presentations, and training throughout the United States. This partial client list in his home state of New Jersey reflects a microcosm of his programs on ethical leadership, violence prevention, and public safety nationwide:

Ø  The Southern New Jersey Prosecutor’s School Security Conference

Ø  Bergen County Education Association Conference in partnership with the Bergen County Sheriff's Office, Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, and Bergen County Police Chiefs Association (Keynotes at 3 conferences - ethical policing, school violence, and terrorism)

Ø  Saint Peter's College

Ø  Port Authority Police Academy 

Ø  Department of the Air Force, Joint Base McGuire-Dix

Ø  New Jersey Education Association

Ø  North Arlington Public Schools

Ø  Hackensack Public Schools

Ø  Hackensack Police Department - numerous domestic violence, school violence and community policing presentations, including Community Policing Summit in partnership with Hackensack University Medical Center

Ø  Tenafly Public Schools

Ø  West Milford Public Schools

Ø  Monmouth University

Ø  The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

Ø  Cinnaminson Township Public Schools

Ø  Wood-Ridge Public Schools

Ø  North Arlington Public Schools

Ø  Fort Lee Public Schools

Ø  Morris County Professional Counselors Association

Ø  Fairleigh Dickinson University

Ø  North Bergen Board of Education

Ø  Union City Board of Education

Ø  Rebeka Verea Foundation

Ø  Bergenfield Public Schools

Ø  New Jersey School Boards Association

Ø  New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association

Ø  Morris County Council of Education Associations

Ø  Bergen County Law and Public Safety Institute

Ø  New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police

Ø  New Jersey City University 

Ø  New Jersey Association of School Administrators

Ø  West New York Board of Education

Ø  Carlstadt Public Schools

Ø  Livingston Police Department

Ø  New Milford Board of Education

Ø  New Jersey Association of School Business Officials

Ø  North Jersey Regional Crime Prevention Officers Association (board member)

Ø  New Jersey Bias Crime Officers Association

Ø  FBI, Newark Field Division - numerous presentations including Fort Monmouth, Fort Dix, the FBI Newark Field Office & the New Jersey Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory

Ø  Jersey City Police Department, East District (numerous domestic violence, school violence, and workplace violence keynotes & leadership keynote in partnership with cadets of the United States Military Academy on Ellis Island)

Ø  DARE NJ

Ø  River Vale Police Department Youth Police Academy Graduation Keynote

Ø  Teaneck Police Department

Ø  Essex County Police Chiefs Association

Ø  Essex County Police Academy Graduation Keynote

Ø  Essex County Crime Prevention Officers Association

Ø  Passaic Arts and Science Center

Ø  Northern Highlands Regional High School

Bove has also served the Bergen County Police Chiefs Association as liaison on issues including ethical leadership and violence prevention for 20 consecutive years. He shares monthly remarks to 75 - 100 members of the association including police chiefs from over 70 departments, the FBI, the NYPD, the Port Authority Police Department and community leaders.  

Photos:

1. Columbine Victims. (Facebook, Governor Jared Polis)

1. a. Echoes of Columbine motif. (Courtesy FBI)

2. Virginia Tech Victims. (Credit: Virginia Tech Police, twitter)

3. Listen To Their Cries by Vincent J. Bove - this book on leadership and violence prevention, was sponsored by West Point for 350 attendees from colleges nationwide during his National Conference on Ethics in America conference presentation.

Listen To Their Cries was also sponsored for all attendees - law enforcement, educators, and community leaders at events including The Southern New Jersey Prosecutors Safe Schools Conference (SNJPSSC) and the Bergen County Education Association (BCEA). 

The SNJPSSC initiative was a collaboration of seven prosecutors representing over 300 agencies and schools in their respective counties. 

The BCEA event involved 279 schools in partnership with the Bergen County Sheriff's Department and Bergen County Police Chiefs Association and the Bergen County Prosecutor.

LISTEN TO THEIR CRIES: Calling the Nation to Renewal from Columbine to Virginia Tech, also served initiatives including the New Jersey Education Association, D.A.R.E.NJ, West New York Schools, Allied Barton Security Services, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Monmouth University, the Rebeka Verea Foundation, the Jersey City PD, Wallkill Public School District, and the Hackensack Public Schools.

4. Reawakening America book / collage, Vincent J. Bove

5. Vincent J. Bove, cover story for The Chief of Police, Fall 2021, Vol. XXXIX.  

In the interests of time, the review of the FBI documentary for the BCPCA was 15:28 of the 28:59 minutes of the film.