Fort Hood: Warning Signs Missed?

Readers know that the purpose of this site is not to analyze national security/terrorism issues. Still, national security and business security are inextricably connected. And practitioners in the public and private sectors can and should learn from each other.

One of the questions swirling arond the Fort Hood shootings is, Were early warning signs missed? History suggestst that those who travel the tortuous path to rampage killing drop plenty of bread crumbs along the way.

Haig Neville in Dealing With Workplace Violence, notes:

A New York Times study of 100 rampage murders ... found that most of the killers 'spiraled down a long, slow slide, mentally and emotionally.' According to the study, most killers gave multiple signs that they were in trouble.

With this in mind, employers should be alert to some of the predictors of violent behavior. These include employees who: use intimidation, talk about weaponry, exhibit paranoid or anti-social behavior, feel they're not being heard by the company, express extreme desperation, have a history of violence, are loners who don't fit in with the group.

For further reading, take a look at Human Resources Guide Susan Heathfield's article, Workplace Violence: Violence Can Happen Here.