Examining Adam Lanza's All-American Massacre

The escalating frequency of school shootings throughout the years has become an alarming issue, raising the question as to why one would commit such a horrific act. On December 14th, 2012, in Newtown, Connecticut, 20-year-old Adam Lanza killed his mother and soon after drove to Sandy Hook Elementary School where he proceeded to kill twenty first grade students and six school employees. Lanza, a troubled individual with a history of various mental health issues, including schizophrenia and Aspergers Syndrome, was profoundly engrossed with violent video games, firearms, and the narratives of mass shootings. Examining Adam Lanza’s violence through the perspective of James Gilligan's Violence: Reflections on a National Epidemic, it becomes apparent

As well, editors Eric Madfis and Adam Lankford state in the book, All-American Massacre: The Tragic Role of American Culture and Society in Mass Shootings, “Parents, spouses, friends, coworkers, neighbors, pastors, mental health professionals, and even law enforcement often report observing significant behavior change in a majority of mass shooters. Perpetrators showed increased agitation, mood swings, or abusive behavior before the shooting. They isolated themselves, lost touch with reality, became paranoid, and were noticeably depressed or unable to perform daily tasks (Peterson & Densley, 2021)” (328). In this statement, Adam Lanza showed many signs of mood and behavioral changes, including isolation, leading up to the shooting at Sandy Hook. Also, Lanza's disengagement from his life and others served as a warning sign to his foreshadowing of violent actions. Similarly, in the periodical, Why Adam Lanza Killed Those 20 Children, the author states, “Lanza's alienation from himself and all around him was nearly absolute. He hated the sun. He hated holidays, with the exception of Halloween, which he

To prevent similar tragedies, it is important to tackle mental health issues more effectively, strengthen community resources, and implement stricter regulations on firearm access and exposure to violent content among people. Together, let’s move beyond mere discussion and start taking action to create change, while prioritizing the safety of students and communities by keeping them secure in educational environments. How do you think these measures can be effectively implemented in communities across the