X-Message-Number: 13660
Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 22:13:09 -0400
From: mgdarwin <>
Subject: Mass Murders

There seems to be the notion that mass homicides are commonplace and likely
to break out all over the USA if medical costs get prohibitive, or some
large group of people gets in a bad mood. I've tried pointing out privately
that such acts of violence are rare and that they are typically comitted by
a certain personality subtype. Hopefully the following FACTS will clear the
air.

Article written by Ford Fessenden, 
in the New York Times (Sunday, April 9, 2000)
www.nytimes.com

They were 102 Mass murders over the last 25 years 
(Political, gang, domestic & serial murders excluded)
(425 murdered -  510 wounded)
This represents 0.1% of all US murders
Note that the per capita rate is pretty constant across the world

63 made threats before they acted (54 specific to mode or victims)
They are not impulsive or sudden... they are premeditated murderers
The timing is impulsive.

Occured in:
31 suburan area
25 small town
42 urban


Comparing to regular (US)murders (if there could be such a thing)

They are older
43% under 30 yo (60% typical murder population)
46% 30-50 yo (32% typ. murd.)
11% over 50 yo (7% )

More educated
8% had no high school (57% typ. murd.)
33% high school ed. (26%)
24% had some college ed. (13%)
35% had a degree (1%)

52% have been in the military (30% typical murders)

They get captured
100% (76%)
89% don't even bother leaving the scene

The race distribution matches more closely US population
71% were white (36%)
19% were black (50%)
2% were hispanic (11%)
8% other (2%)

They were unemployed
57% were unemployed (26%)

They are day killers
81% of the killing were before 6 pm (43%)

THEY ARE SUICIDAL (suicide by cop)
33% Committd suicide (3%)

Interesting article that disparages some myths and goes some ways into 
understanding the mass murderers.

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