Behavior Warning Signs & The Pathway To Violence
- makenzieperkins42
- Sep 29
- 2 min read
Understanding the warning signs of potentially violent behavior is critical for creating safe school and community environments. While not every concerning behavior leads to violence, early recognition and intervention can help prevent targeted violence.
Common Behavioral Warning Signs:
While there is no accurate "profile" of a school shooter, there are some behaviors that may indicate heightened risk when patterns persist or escalate:
Fixation on violence or weapons – repeated fascination with violent events, previous mass shootings/shooters, weaponry, or see violence as only way to solve problems.
Social withdrawal – sudden isolation from peers, teachers, or family.
Stalking, Harassing, or Bullying – repeated unwanted attention, intimidation, or mistreatment of others, including following, monitoring, or persistent teasing
Threatening statements – direct or veiled threats toward individuals or groups (can be communicated in person, online, through written words, or art).
Desperation or despair – Feeling hopeless, depressed, despondent, desperate, or out of options. May also be struggling with suicidal ideation/end of life planning.
Sudden changes in behavior/appearance – abrupt shifts in how a person acts, dresses, or presents themselves
Extreme beliefs: Extreme ideological, political, or conspiratorial beliefs that
advocate hate or violence and significantly influence a person's world view.
The Pathway to Violence:
Research shows that individuals who have engaged in targeted violence follow a noticeable progression before their attack, often referred to as the Pathway to Violence. As an individual progresses on the pathway, there are often noticeable behaviors that can help
Grievance– The individual feels wronged or humiliated in a deeply personal manner
Violent Ideation – The individual begins to see violence as only way to solve problems
Research/Planning– The individual begins to research and plan the logistics of an attack.
Preparation– The individual takes concrete steps towards attack (acquiring means for violent action)
Probing/Breaching – The individual conducts final surveillance/testing of plan
Attack: The individual carries out the act.
**Two very important reminders about the pathway to violence:
The pathway is rarely linear; individuals may move back and forth between stages. The time spent on the pathway varies widely—it could be months, years, or somewhere in between.
There is always an opportunity to move someone off the pathway to violence before an attack
BTAM AS A VIOLENCE PREVENTION MODEL:
Recognizing concerning behaviors is only the first step in violence prevention. Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM) gives schools a framework to respond to these warning signs before they escalate. By understanding the pathway to violence and using BTAM principles, educators and counselors can intervene early, provide support, and help prevent targeted violence attacks on their campus. Check out BTAM in Schools post to learn more.
Key Takeaways:
By recognizing warning signs and understanding the pathway to violence, counselors and educators can take a more proactive approach to violence prevention.
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