Psychiatrist Haller on Rampage in Graz: Perpetrators Often "Severely Affected Individuals"

From the shooter's perspective, "school shootings" are usually "revenge on the school as an institution." The school represents "the entire society," explained the Vorarlberg psychiatrist Reinhard Haller in an interview with APA on Tuesday after the attack at a school in Graz with several fatalities. According to studies, two recurring patterns are evident in such acts: the presence of "proximity to weapons" and a severe "sense of humiliation" of the perpetrator.

Psychiatrist Haller: Perpetrators like the one in Graz are usually "severely affected individuals"

"These people have suffered humiliations that seem trivial from the outside but mean the world to them," said Haller. "These can be small jabs that are not given much attention from the outside." Nevertheless, they are "severely affected individuals." They do not go to their school - or sometimes years later to their former school - to kill specific teachers or students who have humiliated them. It is about the school as an institution and revenge on the "cold, excluding society" from the perpetrator's perspective, reported Haller from studies on similar cases and around 300 "school shootings," especially in the USA.

These are not rampages related to confusion, but a targeted act against the school. The institution is the "place of most humiliations," said the psychiatrist and psychotherapist. The perpetrators feel, for example, poorly judged by teachers or were not invited to birthday parties. Internally, a severe sense of humiliation arises in the person. These people are usually "not particularly noticeable psychologically overall," often come from good family backgrounds, and do not consume more drugs or aggressive video games than others, explained Haller.

Preventive measures to prevent acts

How these individuals and their environment can better deal with it before such acts occur is "the big problem," because the perpetrators often feel a "great sense of suffering" internally. However, there are three points that can be addressed. Firstly, "great criminological progress has been made," and it has already been possible to prevent school rampages repeatedly.

Secondly, at schools, when there are harsh assessments or dismissals, the affected person should be spoken to and asked - for example: "What is happening with you?", "What are your plans?" Thirdly, "we should consider in dealing with people that there are individuals who feel isolated, who find it difficult to talk about their own problems," because it is "not masculine" or for similar reasons. It is important to try to engage in conversation with these people, "to try to free them there."

Haller: "Be very cautious with assigning blame"

The perpetrators, however, are often completely inconspicuous beforehand. "One must be very cautious with assigning blame," emphasized Haller in relation to the environment. He also noted that he had not examined the perpetrator from Graz. Behind the numerous bomb threats against schools recently lies "a different psychology," said the expert when asked. His sympathy goes to the relatives of the victims of Graz. It is "the worst thing that can happen to a relative or parent," he expressed his "horror" and "deeply felt condolences."

(APA/Red)

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