Grandma Turns In Grandson Planning Shooting Spree

Wow, This woman is being called a Hero. She found entries in her grandsons journal.

“What I’m reporting is I’m finding journal entries from my grandson,” Catherine O’Connor told the operator. “And he’s planning on having a mass shooting at one of the high schools.”

A grandmother in Washington state is being credited with reporting her own grandson for planning a school shooting. The teen was arrested the same day as a former student killed 17 people in a shooting at a Florida school.

www.yahoo.com...


An entry from his Journal.

Cathi called police when she discovered a note in her grandson's journal that read in part: "I'm preparing myself for a school shooting. I can't wait. My aim has gotten much more accurate."

www.cbsnews.com...






Wow, she reported it on the same day as the Florida shooting. Going to look for more info.

a reply to: kurthall

I'm learning from past shooters/bombers mistakes, so I don't make the same ones."

www.yahoo.com...

It's become a sport.

Shes a Good grandma. A great one. Me and my gram were talking today she said she would have lit our asses up if we had ever done something like that!

-Alee

“I need to make this shooting/bombing ... infamous," the student wrote, according to the court documents. "I need to get the biggest fatality number I possibly can. I need to make this count. ... I'm learning from past shooters/bombers mistakes, so I don't make the same ones."

Very sad. There seems to be something seriously wrong with some American kids theses days. Instead of the media focusing so much on the gun issue, they should be trying to figure out how to get these kids mentally healthy again.

a reply to: Kester

Wow

“I need to make this shooting/bombing ... infamous," the student wrote, according to the court documents. "I need to get the biggest fatality number I possibly can. I need to make this count. .

Imagine reading something like that in written thoughts from your kid or grandkid?

You have to do something, right?

a reply to: ausername

I've actually had this talk with my wife. Luckily to this point, my 3 kids have never been in any trouble with the law. The youngest is 18. I'm of the opinion that I would never turn my kid in to the law. If there was an issue, I'd get him help, even if it meant locking him or her in a mental institution. My wife is much more trusting of the criminal justice system.

The problem is.

Therapy tells people to write down their thoughts as a release.

Grandma isn't a psychiatrist, neither are those that support what she did.

Shouldn't we let the pros decide on whose 'nuts'?

originally posted by: snowspirit

“I need to make this shooting/bombing ... infamous," the student wrote, according to the court documents. "I need to get the biggest fatality number I possibly can. I need to make this count. ... I'm learning from past shooters/bombers mistakes, so I don't make the same ones."

Very sad. There seems to be something seriously wrong with some American kids theses days. Instead of the media focusing so much on the gun issue, they should be trying to figure out how to get these kids mentally healthy again.

It is not the media's job to figure out how to get kids "mentally healthy again". Though I do think they need to reevaluate how much air time they give these murderers, in regards to delving in to the specifics.

I also think that technology and social media plays a huge role as well. People can get caught-up in the idea of becoming famous. Having their name recognized in a profound way and how that can potentially equal "success" in a variety of ways is much more a factor these days than it was in the past.

Trump is a great example and I do not say this to get political or take shots at Trump. He is/was a reality TV star that literally makes his money of off name recognition and social media became a very important tool for him in his run for the White House.

He had no real political message that had not been stated before. He did not bring anything new to the table as far as politics whatsoever, but he was able to reach the White House through name recognition and social media.

Kids and adults alike see that sort of thing play out daily and they want to be a part of that. They want to make a name for themselves and in this day and age it doesn't take much to get it. Everyone is just one viral video away, one mass shooting away from being "famous".

a reply to: TobyFlenderson

I think you have to turn them in on something this serious. A doctor also has the responsibility to inform police on thoughts that include hurting others. Otherwise you are liable yourself.

What’s unfortunate is this is a typical copycat crime. The media reporting on it give out ideas and like the kid said about mistakes they made. He was getting lessons from TV.

originally posted by: violet
a reply to: TobyFlenderson

I think you have to turn them in on something this serious. A doctor also has the responsibility to inform police on thoughts that include hurting others. Otherwise you are liable yourself.

What’s unfortunate is this is a typical copycat crime. The media reporting on it give out ideas and like the kid said about mistakes they made. He was getting lessons from TV.

I think it's much more complicated than just what people see on TV. I'm sure you notice how fast things spread on Facebook and other social media sites. That is a problem as well.

Those that use social media, including sites like ATS, are potentially part of the problem.

Video games and social thinking i think are main causes of this mentallity.

a reply to: anotherside

For most people, video games are a release for negative energy, not a "how to" guide. Please stop blaming games for the actions of mentally ill people who would've done something anyways.

originally posted by: Autorico
a reply to: anotherside

For most people, video games are a release for negative energy, not a "how to" guide. Please stop blaming games for the actions of mentally ill people who would've done something anyways.

it was a guess. I hope im wrong. But socialability is a big part of growing up. Isolated thinking could be a trigger for someone influencable.

I hope the kid only get mental health help and no legal troubles. I don't want to scare off other family members from calling stuff in

it's not the media, it's anyone who posts after a shooting spree, it's anyone who clicks on the endless items regarding it. Anyone who wants to become famous, shoot people. Kill people by any other way, it won't create the media stir.

people are feeding the shooting spree

originally posted by: neo96
The problem is.

Therapy tells people to write down their thoughts as a release.

Grandma isn't a psychiatrist, neither are those that support what she did.

Shouldn't we let the pros decide on whose 'nuts'?

I think the key in the journal was that his aim was improving. That's describing a means to an end not just getting the deamons out on paper. Granny did good.

a reply to: kurthall

Good for her.

This is a big problem--adults who are in a position to do so are not actually paying close enough attention to the children who obviously need some help.

That said, I don't know how far a charge of 'attempted murder' will go with such vague musings like this in a journal, unless there are more specific threats that they aren't releasing yet.

originally posted by: neo96
The problem is.

Therapy tells people to write down their thoughts as a release.

Grandma isn't a psychiatrist, neither are those that support what she did.

Shouldn't we let the pros decide on whose 'nuts'?

If you write down you're going to do a mass shooting and that you want the most fatalities you can get, you are nuts.
You do not need to go to college to understand this.

a reply to: introvert
Well yes of course social media contributes. TV has all the analyzing going on, video replays and Interviews etc. Nowadays people are filming it with cellphones, those too are contributing to making it a story... YouTube etc etc

originally posted by: neo96
The problem is.

Therapy tells people to write down their thoughts as a release.

Grandma isn't a psychiatrist, neither are those that support what she did.

Shouldn't we let the pros decide on whose 'nuts'?

It could even be plain old fiction / fantasy. It's definitely for the professionals to decide though.

I wonder if the grandmother had other indicators? And then the journal would take on extra emphasis.

Another thing and likely it’s the trouble stirring before it ever becomes a plan is watching that children aren’t isolating themselves from society too much. Limiting screen time is essential in a child’s development. All too often it’s too easy to use the electronic babysitter.

Loners tend to be troublesome more often than a child engaged in social activities.

I think though now it’s more of a copycat thing going on.