Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
In Sign Of Just How Big A Role Prevention Can Play, Most Perpetrators Of A Mass Attack In 2018 Made Threats First
The Associated Press: Most Attackers Made Threats Before Incident, Report Finds
One-third of the attackers who terrorized schools, houses of worship or businesses nationwide last year had a history of serious domestic violence, two-thirds had mental health issues, and nearly all had made threatening or concerning communications that worried others before they struck, according to a U.S. Secret Service report on mass attacks. (Long, 7/9)
Reuters: Most Perpetrators In 2018 Mass Attacks Made Threats: U.S. Secret Service
Two-thirds of the attackers also had a history of mental health issues and half were motivated by workplace or personal grievances, the agency said in a report published by its National Threat Assessment Center. "The violence described in this report is not the result of a single cause or motive," it added. "The findings emphasize, however, that we can identify warning signs prior to an act of violence." (O'Brien, 7/9)
CBS News: Secret Service Report On Mass Violence Emphasizes Prevention
In its yearlong study, researchers from the Secret Service's National Threat Assessment Center examined 27 violent attacks in public spaces like offices, schools, and places of worship across 18 states to identify "key information that will enhance efforts to prevent" future incidents of mass violence. The incidents examined included the Parkland school shooting, the killing of five journalists at the office of a Maryland newspaper and a deadly shooting at a bar in Thousand Oaks, California. Between January and December 2018, 91 people were killed and 107 more were injured as a result of the incidents outlined in the report. According to its findings, 24 of the 27 attacks were carried out using firearms and 93% of the attackers were male. Three of the attackers used vehicles to inflict harm. (Legare, 7/9)
CNN: A New Report On Mass Attacks In The US Shows Common Traits Among Assailants
The findings emphasize the need for anyone who hears a threat to speak up, said acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan. He said prevention is a "community effort." "While not every act of violence can be prevented, the MAPS report indicates we can do much more to prevent targeted violence together when appropriate systems are in place," he said. (Yan and Shortell, 7/9)
NBC News: Secret Service Report Finds Mass Attackers Leave Warning Signs Before Violence
Among the other findings: 24 of the 27 attacks were carried out with firearms, mostly at places of business, and more than half ended within five minutes. The average attacker was a 37-year-old man, and some kind of grievance was the motivating factor, rather than ideology. In 11 of the cases, the attackers appeared to have selected their targets in advance, such as the man who killed 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue in October. This was the second analysis by the Secret Service of mass attacks. Its report from a year ago found that most attacks in 2017 were motivated by workplace or domestic issues, and that more than three-fourths of them had made threatening or concerning communications. (Williams, 7/9)
USA Today: Mental Illness And Threatening Messages Often Come Before Mass-Casualty Attacks, Secret Service Finds
Social workers, mental health counselors, school administrators and law enforcement all had been warned about Nikolas Cruz's deteriorating mental state and risk of violence before he launched the attack that killed 17 and injured 17 others. About a month before the attack, the FBI received a tip about Cruz and his "desire to kill people," but the information was never forwarded for investigation, the bureau later confirmed. (Johnson, 7/9)
