Mass Homicides Flashcards
(20 cards)
Mass murder
4 or more murders committed by one or more offenders without a cooling-off period
Triggering event
a specific incident, such as the loss of a job or relationship, that precipitates the offender’s violent actions
Crime-motivated mass murder
Murders committed as part of another crime, such as robbery, gang activity, or drug-related disputes
Family Annihilator Model
A subset of mass murderers who kill their entire family due to financial strain, relationship breakdowns, or mental distress
What are the primary motivations for mass murder?
an acute event, long-term relationship conflicts, and mental health issues
Mass murder offender demographics
Male, average age 33 years old, 43% white
Victim characteristics of mass murder offenses
42% family members, 18% strangers, and 26% involved multiple victim categories
Weapons used for mass murder:
Firearms, multiple weapons, and arson
Copycat effect
The idea that mass media coverage of school shootings inspires future perpetrators
Mass murder offender suicide rates
33% committed post-crime, relationship-based killings had the highest suicide rates
Culture of Honor Thesis
Proposes that violence in schools is influenced by cultural norms that promote retaliatory aggression
What are the most common attack locations for mass murder?
High schools and colleges, rural high schools also vulnerable
What are the shared characteristics for serial and mass murderers?
Entitlement, callousness, and instinctual aggressiveness
Autogenic shooter
attacks are “self-generated” due to the offender’s internal psychological processes and issues
Victim-specific shooter
attacks involve offenders seeking revenge against one or several specific victims
Ideological active shooter
events motivated by political or racist ideologies stemming from a perceived personal grievance, or moral outrage over the perceived mistreatment of others
Visionary killers
Driven by hallucinations or psychosis
Mission-oriented killers
Believe they are ridding the world of “undesirable” people
Hedonistic killers
Kills for the pleasure (sexual, financial, or thrill-seeking motives)
Power/control killers
Kill to exercise absolute dominance over victims
