Warning Signs From Student Gunman

Cho Seung-Hui's Violent Writing, Loner Status, Fit Secret Service Shooter Profile

(CBS)  The emerging portrait of Cho Seung-Hui — the quiet loner whose writing sent out alarms — is one that fits a Secret Service profile of the typical school shooter.

In a study done after the Columbine massacre, the Secret Service studied 37 school shootings to learn the patterns of the school-aged assassins, CBS News correspondent Wyatt Andrews reports.

Most school attacks, the report said, come from loners with some kind of grievance. "Many attackers felt bullied” or persecuted by others, the study concluded. "More than half had revenge as a motive."

That included Luke Woodham, who killed two classmates in Pearl, Miss., and who the Secret Service interviewed personally.

“People always picked on me and they always called me gay or stupid stuff like that,” Woodham said.

Cho's sense of persecution — "you made me do this,” he wrote — fits the pattern. So does his methodical planning: the way he chained the doors of Norris Hall.

The authors of the Secret Service report told Scott Pelley of 60 Minutes some attackers plan for more than two weeks and then look forward to the assault.

Former Secret Service agent Brian Vossekuil read from a chilling first-hand account.

“My assault on the school is the only thing I live for. I want to laugh at the pain I cause these fools,” Vossekuil read. “Personally, I'll be glad to die because living my life has been the greatest hell I could imagine.'

And Cho, it turns out, had a flair for imagining hell.

A former classmate has blogged that students were afraid of Cho — that in one playwriting class, the plays Cho wrote: "had really twisted, macabre violence that used weapons I wouldn't even thought of. We students were talking to each other with serious worry about whether he could be a school shooter."

In one of those plays Cho's character wants revenge against an abusing stepfather.

"Must kill Dick. Must kill Dick. Dick must die," it reads.

In another play, Cho's teacher has to die in revenge for low grades.

"I wanna watch him bleed like the way he made us kids bleed," Cho wrote.

The Secret Service concluded that shooters typically tell someone else of their plan.

There's no evidence that Cho did that. However, almost every shooter telegraphs the fact he’s having violent thoughts.

We now know this quiet loner was sending troubled signals all along.

[tantrim]

There are millions of people living with demons and if the stars line up just right will explode. It would be wonderful if we could use logic to single those people out and get them help. I would say each one of us if we listen probably are in contact with people with extreme problems each day but don't want to get involved. Maybe if we sincerly treat people as we would like to be treated we might help a few.

[mpetrilak]

If guns were under a method of control that would satisfy anti-gun proponents, what behavior would loners who are persecuted, abused and bullied resort to that would be a suitable alternative to a shooting rampage? When all variables add up that will result in explosive, violent behavior, the outcome will be a tragedy no matter whether a gun or some other means is utilized by the perpetrator. The 911 terrorists utilized box cutters and jet planes. Let's work on controlling psychotic behavior so that we won't have to control the means by which the behavior is exhibited. God bless the families of his victims for their pain and profound losses.

[freedom_safe]

Probably it's time to repeal the 2nd Amendment. If nobody is allowed to have guns, no shooting rampage will ever happen.

We need freedom unhampered by guns.

[darrenmv]

Make guns illegal then no one would have guns to go on a rampage? Can you think of ANYTHING that is illegal that people can't get if they want it? Drugs? Prostitutes? Currently illegal weapons? Outlawing instruments is not the answer.

[drbehavior-2009]

It seems apparent, to me at least, that Cho Seung-Hui was suffering from Schizophrenic-like symptoms. Who knows - if he had been captured alive, he likely would have said that the 'voices' told him to do 'it'. I'm concerned that their are many Cho's in the world and that as the Mental Health Act reads few if any of them will ever get the medical care that they urgently require. In order for people with a psychosis to get treatment they have to demonstrate that either they're a danger to themselves or to others. Most of these people, like Cho, don't manifest that degree of obviousness until they finally snap. Consequently, even if teachers or parents had been fully cognizant of his problem and had referred him for treatment - just as long as he remained in denial regarding his mental status - nothing could have been done. Even if he were admitted on a 72 hour hold while continuing to deny his condition, he could not be forced to accept treatment. The over zealous mental health advocates have gone so far afield in protecting the rights of the Cho's of this world that they've virtually obliterated the rights of, for example, those needlessly slaughtered on the Virginia campus. Perhaps, it's time for a change.

[halfblind79]

Ya know, I was about to make a cocky, smart alec, sarcastic remark about someone who posted here, but then I saw the bottom one by "engbulldog2" and I will quote it in case those who want to flame and vent on me, they can review the comment, and then review my response in context.

"There are millions of people living with demons and if the stars line up just right will explode. It would be wonderful if we could use logic to single those people out and get them help. I would say each one of us if we listen probably are in contact with people with extreme problems each day but don't want to get involved. Maybe if we sincerly treat people as we would like to be treated we might help a few.
Posted by engbulldog2 at 08:52 PM : Apr 17, 2007"

That last line is true genius!!! I couldn't have said it better myself. Coming from a background where no one would listen to me, I came very close to doing something like this when I was going to school. It may have been a different level of schooling, but the principle is the same. There were many reasons why I didn't, but the primary reason was because I had outlets. Whether it be music, friends, or being able to write it out in a journal, blog, whatever you want to call it, I always had an outlet to vent frustrations on.

[halfblind79]

This is a continuation of the last post, sorry... *** limitations!!!

I remember thinking the same thing about guns, whether we should ban them altogether, but then someone would come up with a new way to kill people, so it's not the answer, it just creates more complications than we as a society would like to admit. Now, some of you may believe me, and some of you may not, and that's your choice, when I say I've never cared for using guns, never wanted to use one, and even when I came close to completely losing it in school, I still wanted no part in gun use. It simply isn't me, besides I'm more a knives and other cutlery kind of guy. (big grin)

Aside from that for a moment, whether this was motivated by anger/frustration or something else is debatable. What matters now is that the families of the students, teachers, and staff who were killed in this attack are going through unbelievable grief. Even though I lost my dad almost 4 years ago, I cannot begin to imagine what these people are feeling. I can only offer my condolences to them, and pray they find peace in this time of complete chaos, sadness and sorrow.

[halfblind79]

Last post, I promise... for tonight anyway!

To those who want to point the finger, make it a blame game, I just have five words for you. "It Sucks to Be You!" Basically put, I'm not going to point fingers at the media industry (video games, music, movies, TV, etc), the gun industry, or the immigration issue, or even the mental health care system in this country. It's your choice whether you want to play the blame game, but I'd rather try to help heal those who are in pain right now. Pointing fingers does nothing but aggravate a problem.

As for everyone else, right now it is best we keep our thoughts and prayers with those who are grieving and hurting today. Let government be government, and let people be people. I think ALL of us, every one of us, should be able to learn something from this tragedy, but for the right reasons.

[antonov1-2009]

I agree with halfblind79 who said that it's the outlet that eventually saves us from acting out our fantasies. We all go through times when we think of doing a thing as crazy as this. It's how you control that thought and get back to reality that's important. Looking at it in a psychological perspective, Cho came from a poor family in Korea, and he may have had to have adjusted to the affluence of American life, where so much is taken for granted. He may also have had inadequate social skills, or bad relationships with his parents, hence his condition.

I think people should be more conscious of troubled people like him. It is so much easier to ignore them and label them as weird freaks, but have you tried to befriend and understand them? That's the underlying thing.

[antonov1-2009]

I agree with halfblind79 who said that it's the outlet that eventually saves us from acting out our fantasies. We all go through times when we think of doing a thing as crazy as this. It's how you control that thought and get back to reality that's important. Looking at it in a psychological perspective, Cho came from a poor family in Korea, and he may have had to have adjusted to the affluence of American life, where so much is taken for granted. He may also have had inadequate social skills, or bad relationships with his parents, hence his condition.

I think people should be more conscious of troubled people like him. It is so much easier to ignore them and label them as weird freaks, but have you tried to befriend and understand them? That's the underlying thing.

[johnpseudo]

Yes, likeitis5050- we should completely forget about any bad things in the past and what might have caused them. Then they will never happen again. Yay!

Perhaps we should listen to what he actually complained about? Christianity? Snobby rich kids? "Deceitful charlatans"? This person needed a community that supported him and empathized with him instead of just respecting his privacy, right to free speech, and right to purchase firearms.

[elgraz]

Let's just keep letting all these mother ffuuuuckkk aliens into this country. What not? That nitwit of a gun dealer in Virginia should be strung up by his ba............ls. That money hungry...bastaaard. They are really stupid down here in the South.

[suprmunky]

To elgraz: You are in clear violation of the first amendment. This kid, Seung Cho, is resposible for shooting those innocents, but not because he oriental or not a natural born citizen, he slaughtered them because he was a sick and messed up INDIVIDUAL, who obviously needed special attention and was probably insane. You have a prejudice that is just as sick as the shootings. People like you can cause somebody to go and find guns and shoot you if you push them that far away. The human mind is complex and people interpret things differently, and your interpretation is wrong and disgusting. I suggest that you rethink what you said.

[accu-mind]

elgraz, you and Cho Seung-Hui are EXACTLY alike. You both have a blind, voilent hatred towards a group of people you think you know, but really don't. If you want to vent your anger on someone, then look in the mirror you ******.

[suprmunky]

To all: Like what half-blind said, pointing fingers is just stupid at this point. We can't go back in time and stop all of this. We just have to get through everything.

[likeitis5050]

johnpseudo please try to comprehend my post. I did not say nothing should be learned. I said, do not make his name a household item. Do not let his name be dropped a million times giving him the very thing it was implied he wanted. He was sick. He gave warnings. Make changes in the way things are done...but DO NOT let him gain the attention he craved in life at the expense of killing innocent people by making his name synonymous with 'the worst' anything. Let him be 'the mentally ill mass murderer'. Why do we have to have his name seered into our minds in order to learn from this? Changes can be made, policies revised, and personal decisions to reach out or at least not ignore such behavior again, without escorting this gunman to some sort of stature anyone else out there looking for the same kind of attention will want to emulate. Reasons for someone, anyone, doing things that hurt and kill are excuses. Focus on the innocent lives lost, their lives and hopes and ambitions and remember their names...not the crazed gunman who ended it all for them. I thought I was clear in my post. Apparently not. I am angry, however. Maybe in a month or two I will be able to find a place in my heart to see him as someone to be pitied. Not now. And I certainly don't want to be able to recall his name at the drop of a hat.