subject: No Answers Yet To Latest Spree Killing In Pa [print this page] On March 8, 2012, a man at a psychiatric clinic at the University of Pittsburgh opened fire. In the ordeal, which lasted about fifteen to twenty minutes, seven people received injuries, and two died, including the gunman. Details about the second person who died were not forthcoming, and currently its unknown whether the wounded were staff, patients, or visitors. This is just the latest in the spree or rampage-style murders that have taken place across the country.
All of the other buildings in the vicinity went into immediate lockdown, and there was a rumor of a second gunman and a hostage situation at one point. However, those were unsubstantiated rumors, and they turned out to be false. It appears as though the shooter in this case acted alone, as they often do in these types of killings.
Even though there was not a classical hostage situation, other patients, staff, and visitors who were in the clinic at the time, did have to hide and barricade themselves in areas in an effort to remain safe. The fear that these people felt must have been immense. These incidents arent as rare as you might want to believe either. You can find similar instances on a nearly weekly basis across the country, and its very disturbing that these shootings are occurring with such frequency. Its not a matter of if something is going to happen again, its just a matter of when and where.
Many different things could be at the root cause of these killings. It could be mental disorders, societal or personal problems, or something else entirely. The fact that this took place at a psychiatric clinic is something that could indicate mental problems, but since nothing is yet known about the shooter, its impossible to say. Stress, family problems, and a host of other issues could cause someone to believe that a gun is the only way to deal with the problems. As with this case and other cases, you can be certain that forensic psychologists are watching closely.
While no one knows what it is that caused this incident, hopefully psychologists and specialists will be able to gather enough information from this and other similar incidents to understand what it is that causes these types of shootings. By understanding the underlying psychology and problems that can lead to these incidents, it might be easier to identify those who are at risk and get them the help they need before things escalate.
