2008 Woodie Awards
Campus violence increases
Kelli Schlueter
Issue date: 2/25/08 Section: News
Media Credit: Peter KimStudents signed condolence banners on Monday, Feb. 18 in response to the NIU tragedy.
Four school shootings have occurred across the United States since the beginning of February. All four occurred within one week of each other, the most recent tragedy being that of NIU Thursday, Feb. 14. School shootings have become more prevalent in the United States since the late 1990s, when the Columbine (1999) and Jonesboro, Ark. (1998) shootings took center stage as devastating and tragic occurrences that shocked their respective locales.
Leading up to the present, there have been at least a dozen or more school shootings - grade school, middle school, high school and college alike. The shooters have been of all ages and backgrounds, almost always having some type of psychological problem brought into play by the media after the tragedy occurred.
Regardless of any psychologically unstable mental condition the shooter was in at the time, one thing for certain is that they were disturbed in some way - or were they?
The tragedy that struck NIU was carried out by Steven Kazmierczak, and investigators are still hazy on his exact motive. What is known at this time is that Kazmierczak was on at least three different medications, according to his ex-girlfriend, Jessica Baty. According to the Chicago Tribune, the three medications were Prozac (anti-depressant), Ambien (sleep aid), and Xanax (anti-anxiety).
Yet just by stopping these medicines, was that enough reason to spawn a violent attack and take innocent lives?
According to psychiatrists, the answer is no. While symptoms of withdrawal would be likely, there is no known evidence in the past that stopping medications would lead to a violent explosion, according to Dr. Martin Paisner, psychiatrist at Chicago Lakeshore Hospital.
While hundreds of speculations have been flying around regarding why such an act could be committed, psychiatrists at UIC have also held their own discussion on the subject.
Dr. Carl Bell, psychiatrist at UIC and president of the Chicago Community Mental Health Council, indicated that when a tragic occurrence like the NIU shooting happens, there is usually a suicide mission involved, as in the case of Steven Kazmierczak.
"This was a suicide plan that wanted a lot of attention…that wanted to make a statement, and if you're really trying to leave a mark, and you're angry and frustrated, and for whatever reasons - you're going to commit suicide. Killing a whole lot of people before you commit suicide leaves a mass, mass mark," said Dr. Bell.
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Leading up to the present, there have been at least a dozen or more school shootings - grade school, middle school, high school and college alike. The shooters have been of all ages and backgrounds, almost always having some type of psychological problem brought into play by the media after the tragedy occurred.
Regardless of any psychologically unstable mental condition the shooter was in at the time, one thing for certain is that they were disturbed in some way - or were they?
The tragedy that struck NIU was carried out by Steven Kazmierczak, and investigators are still hazy on his exact motive. What is known at this time is that Kazmierczak was on at least three different medications, according to his ex-girlfriend, Jessica Baty. According to the Chicago Tribune, the three medications were Prozac (anti-depressant), Ambien (sleep aid), and Xanax (anti-anxiety).
Yet just by stopping these medicines, was that enough reason to spawn a violent attack and take innocent lives?
According to psychiatrists, the answer is no. While symptoms of withdrawal would be likely, there is no known evidence in the past that stopping medications would lead to a violent explosion, according to Dr. Martin Paisner, psychiatrist at Chicago Lakeshore Hospital.
While hundreds of speculations have been flying around regarding why such an act could be committed, psychiatrists at UIC have also held their own discussion on the subject.
Dr. Carl Bell, psychiatrist at UIC and president of the Chicago Community Mental Health Council, indicated that when a tragic occurrence like the NIU shooting happens, there is usually a suicide mission involved, as in the case of Steven Kazmierczak.
"This was a suicide plan that wanted a lot of attention…that wanted to make a statement, and if you're really trying to leave a mark, and you're angry and frustrated, and for whatever reasons - you're going to commit suicide. Killing a whole lot of people before you commit suicide leaves a mass, mass mark," said Dr. Bell.
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