How Recognizing "Leakage" Can Help Avert Mass Shooting Events

Did you know that according to a joint report from the U.S. Secret Service and the Department of Education, in four out of five mass shootings, somebody had knowledge of the shooter’s plan, but failed to report it?  

Are Some Mass Shootings Preventable?  

Although not all mass shootings are preventable, research shows that in more than half of all mass shooting incidents, the shooter not only displays red flags, but actually divulged their plan online or in person to someone. Specifically, a study conducted by the National Institute of Justice concluded that 48 percent leaked their exact plans to their family or friends and 55.1 percent leaked nonspecific plans. The same study found that 23.4 percent of shooters also left notes or a manifesto behind.  

In more than 90% of these cases, the shooter’s red flags included suicidal ideation, major mood swings, an increase in violent interests and tendencies and mental health disorders. Almost a third of all shooters also experienced childhood trauma and 70 percent knew at least one of their victims.  

That’s a lot of data to digest, but all these signs are known as “leakage” and learning to recognize these signs of leakage can, in some cases, prevent mass shootings.  

Recognizing the Signs 

There are a few signs that people should be aware of that could indicate that somebody is going through a crisis that might eventually end in violence. These signs range from their online postings and conversations with people in real life, their mental health, their interests and their home and social life. According to The Violence Project, nearly 40% of all shooters were suicidal at the time of their shooting. 

In November of 2022, a shooting at Oxford High School in a Detroit suburb rocked the nation. As information began to circulate regarding the tragedy, the public began to learn about the leakage displayed by the assailant. He was struggling with mental health, had access to guns and wrote in his journal about the attacks. Although some signs are impossible to see, in the case of the Oxford shooting, there was enough leakage evident to possibly prevent the shooting if action was taken.  

According to a report from the Department of Homeland Security, a few of the most common signs of leakage include but are not limited to: 

• Interests in previous acts of violence, violent hobbies, increased conversations about firearms and other violent crimes 
• Fits of rage or anger out of nowhere as well as other mood swings 
• An increased use in drugs 
• A steady decline of personal hygiene  
• Withdrawn from work, violates workplace rules 
• Paranoid behavior 
• Talks about financial issues, problems at home, has issues in with others in the workplace 

Kokomo24/7® Can Help

According to former FBI Special Agent and Profiler, Mary Ellen O’Toole, one of the most effective ways to bridge the gap between noticing leakage and taking action against it is an anonymous reporting system.  

“Educate the students and the faculty to what the red-flag behaviors are … and make it so that students can call it in confidentially.”- Mary Ellen O’Toole, Former FBI Special Agent and Profiler

Kokomo24/7®’s anonymous tip line can help your school or workplace take action against the signs of leakage by streamlining the complex and sometimes difficult process of anonymous reporting. Students and teachers can use the tipline in the event they are exposed to leakage and can then report what they see anonymously, without the fear of retaliation.

Another powerful tech tool Kokomo can provide to help prevent violent incidents from happening in the first place is our Incident Management tool. Administrators can log, track, and manage any incidents that arise. The more data points a school can collect the better than can create a story and decide when and if to intervene when necessary.

Kokomo understands that every school and workplace face its own unique set of challenges and can provide a robust, yet easy to use software platform to keep you safe.  

Ever since Kokomo24/7® was founded in 2018, we have been a leader in compliance and risk management solutions for all things health and safety. Kokomo24/7® proudly serves schools, communities, and workplaces. Our mission is to deliver highly effective, easy-to-use, and trusted compliance and risk management solutions that bridge the gap between public safety and technology.

Whether you work for a small school, a big-city public district, or any institution in between, we want to hear from you. 

To learn more about Kokomo24/7® or to get a free 15-minute demo click the button below.