It’s a frightening scenario, that’s come all too common in. A student – in this case, a recently expelled student – who comes to campus to kill as many people as possible.
College student, Paige Axelson, says the scenario is always present in her mind.
“I personally think it’s terrifying. You never know what’s going to happen,” she said.
The question on everyone’s mind is could the massacre have been prevented?
“There’s probably nothing you can do to eliminate all school violence," licensed counselor Bill Prasad said.
He says that’s even the case when someone shows obvious signs of distress.
The 19 year-old gunman, Nicholas Cruz, was described by classmates as a troubled loner who harassed them. He is reportedly a member of a white nationalist group with a taste for weapons. He was expelled from the school for undisclosed disciplinary reasons.
“It sounds like the school took some precautions and acted within the parameters of what you can do," Prasad said. "You also have to think about the person’s rights.”
In private practice, the obligations are different.
“If I sense that someone was showing homicidal ideation, I would have to figure out, ‘Is the plan immminet? Do I have a realistic sense that this could happen?’" Prasad said. "In the state of Texas, I would be required to call the police."
School counselors or psychologists generally recommend to the student or parent that the individual be assessed by a professional, outside of school. They “bring in the parent, talk about what the school counselors’ fears are.”
Cruz’s mother died a few months ago. His peers widely describe him as being depressed. But it’s not clear what mental health issues he may have or for which he sought help.
“It isn’t as easy as saying this person has a diagnosed mental health problem and they are going to be homicidal," Prasad explained.