This week, a Wisconsin school shooting provided a potential warning about what might come from the murder of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO.
That’s not because the two shootings are directly connected but rather because the Wisconsin attack was influenced by the Columbine attack. And the CEO killing has many of the same hallmarks that could lead to it influencing future attacks as well. To examine how likely that is, we have former FBI agent and active shooter research pioneer Katherine Schweit back on the show.
Schweit was part of the team that began tracking active shooter events in the wake of the Sandy Hook attack. She helped create the framework for responding to them for both law enforcement and civilians. She agreed there is reason to think the CEO killing could have a similar effect to that of Columbine.
She said it’s hard to know what might happen with future assassination attempts, but the messaging and viral nature of the CEO killing make copycats more likely. But she said she has seen progress in combatting active shooter incidents, with the number falling the past two years. And the same tactics could be used to reduce copycats as well.
You can listen to the show on your favorite podcasting app or by clicking here. Video of the episode is available on our YouTube channel. An auto-generated transcript is here. Reload Members get access on Sunday, as always. Everyone else can listen on Monday.
Plus, Contributing Writer Jake Fogleman and I talk about a new ruling out of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals that upheld the lifetime felony gun ban against a defendant based on his history of violent misdemeanor convictions. We also cover new survey data from Donald Trump’s top pollster indicating strong support for pro-gun judges and policies. We discuss what influence that might have on the incoming administration’s policy priorities. Finally, we wrap up with a round up of gun stories from across the country, including new details about the expected shake up amongst ATF leadership under Donald Trump.
One Response
Wowm Stephen, you have done it agin. What an incredible interview with Katherine Ssweit, a former FBI behavior specialist. . Have a Merry Christmas.