School Violence Warning Signs through the Prism of Uvalde’s Tragedy

On Thursday, September 15, 2022, I addressed 75 police chiefs and associate members of the Bergen County Police Chiefs Association (BCPCA) at their monthly meeting.

It has been my privilege to share remarks to the BCPCA on a monthly basis for the past twenty years as their liaison for issues on ethical leadership, violence prevention, and crisis management.

Today’s event took place at the Old Tappan Manor in Old Tappan, New Jersey. 

My remarks were titled School Violence Warning Signs through the Prism of Uvalde’s Tragedy.

Since this meeting coincided with the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year, I felt the importance of focusing on school violence prevention, particularly related to warning signs.

Just prior to the summer break, on May 24, 2022, one of the nation’s most horrific acts of school violence took place.  The event at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas once again crystalized our nation’s tragic culture of violence.

My remarks began with these reflections from a published report titled What Made Ramos Kill.  The report was modified and abbreviated as follows:

Let’s look at the life of the Uvalde Killer, a 18-year-old high school student who killed 19 children and two adults at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. His life can be examined through a prism of missed warning signs:  

The killer's father was absent physically, financially, emotionally and spiritually. His mother had a substance abuse problem and was overwhelmed with an increasingly violent child. So she pawned her son off to grandparents who were seemingly unable to impose authority, or to get the right help from an outside source. Without intervention, his incorrigible tailspin continued.

It seemed he was falling apart mentally as his alarming conduct escalated.  Soon his physical appearance became disheveled.  Red warning lights were flashing everywhere. He cut his face up with a knife for fun. He talked about how much he enjoyed cutting himself.  

He was obsessed with guns and violence.  He posted pictures of automatic weapons, and videos online of himself with guns and knives, as well as videos of himself boxing and training to fight.

Law enforcement was often called to his house because of his out of control behavior.

He showed disdain for women, and often sent them negativistic and perverse texts. He communicated, "some women deserved to be raped."  His bizarre behavior and depraved expressions gained him the online nickname "school shooter."  Moreover, he regularly joked about rape, kidnapping, and murder.  He hated his parents; and posted a video of himself lashing out obscenities at his mother.

He wore all black, became disheveled, and walked around in combat boots. He posted a video of him screaming obscenities at his mother.

Yet, no one intervened. No one acted to apprehend him or to provide any viable means of correction.

No one intervened. No one acted to control him or provide the structure desperately needed. He hated his parents and at the world and he wanted to lash out in any way, no matter how horrific.

Eventually, he found a way to receive national attention. He entered a school and shot and killed 19 school children and 2 teachers who tried to protect the children.  Their families must now deal with the loss.  And the community of Uvalde can look back with hindsight and see the impact of disregarding the many glaring warning signs that led to this tragedy.

What Made Ramos Kill

Listen To Their Cries – Early Warning Signs

My remarks continued with the highlighting of Early Warning Signs as published in my book titled Listen To Their Cries.

These warning signs were originally published in the government booklet Early Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools. 

The booklet was published by the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE).  The USDOE provided thousands of copies to me for my presentations nationwide after the 1999 Columbine tragedy.  

In my opinion, this booklet is a treasure of prevention for school violence that unfortunately is still not as valued or understood as it should be.

As noted in the booklet, and also in Listen To Their Cries, it is not always possible to predict behavior that will lead to violence.  However, the community can recognize early warning signs that may lead to aggressive rage or violent behavior.

A good rule of thumb is to assume these warning signs, especially when they are presented in combination, indicate a need for further analysis to determine a measured intervention.

These are the early warning signs shared today with the BCPCA.  It should be noted they are not equally significant, not presented in order of seriousness, and deserve comprehensive study.  

The early warning signs include:

• Social withdrawal

• Excessive feelings of isolation and being alone

• Excessive feelings of rejection

• Being a victim of violence

• Feelings of being picked on and persecuted

• Low school interest/poor academic performance

• Uncontrolled anger

• Patterns of impulsive and chronic hitting, intimidating, and bullying

• Expression of violence in writings

• History of discipline problems

• Past history of violent aggressive behavior

• Drug and alcohol use

• Affiliation with gangs

• Intolerance for differences and prejudicial attitudes

• Inappropriate access to, possession of, and use of firearms

• Serious threats of violence

During today’s meeting, copies of my articles in The Chief of Police, Vol. XL, 2022 titled Transforming American Policing: Mass Demonstration Recommendations and Safeguarding America’s Protectors: A Community Responsibility, complimentary of the National Association of Chiefs of Police, were available for all attendees.

Note Well: Joan Pinto, an educator with the Morris County Vocational School District, was gracious with proofreading this article and provided valuable editing and insight.
 

Related Coverage:

19 Children, 2 Adults Killed: America’s Culture of Violence and Failure of Leadership

Echoes of Columbine: School Violence Awareness and Prevention

America’s Schools: Security, Character, Academics

American School Violence Tracker: Awareness and Prevention

Reawakening America LLC / About the Founder  

Vincent J. Bove, CPP, is a national speaker and author on issues critical to America with over 300 published works. His most recent books are Reawakening America and Listen To Their Cries. He is recipient of the FBI Director's Community Leadership Award and former confident of the New York Yankees.  Vincent is co-founder of Global Security Resolutions, and served as spokesperson for a coalition of Virginia Tech tragedy families of victims. He has 18 cover stories for The Chief of Police.

For twenty years, Vincent has served as a Board Certified Protection Professional (CPP), Board Certified Crime Prevention Specialist, Certified Police Training Commission Instructor, Crime Prevention Practitioner, and USDOJ Certified Community Anti-Terrorism Instructor Trainer.  He is also a State of New Jersey / Division of State Police SORA Instructor, licensed for ten years.  

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

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.  

Resources: www.vincentbove.com or twitter@vincentjbove