The Copycat Effect...born killers or looking for fame?

[Koda]

With the crime rate rising more and more each year, not just in the U.S., but everywhere around the world, what are your thoughts about the 'Copycat Killers'?

With the examples below, and much more on the attached link, do you think that people that commit similar crimes whether they be killings, fires, etc...after seeing it on the news or reading about it in the papers, are born killers, or are they just looking for some sick sort of fame? And many have absolutely no remorse for what they have done, if in fact they don't commit suicide before they are caught.

Back in the 60's and 70's there was the 'Hillside Strangler'. Those killings were at first in just one area. Then they began to find bodies in different states. Hence the thought of a 'Copycat Killer'. And then of course there was the 'Manson Family'. And many many more before and after those times.


Examples:

August 24, 2006 - Essex, Vermont - two dead (two teachers) - three wounded (two teachers, plus the shooter who turned the gun on himself) - the shooter was a male, all victims were female. Christopher Williams, 26, of Essex, attempted to kill his former girlfriend, first-grade schoolteacher Andrea Lambesis. The dead was Lambesis' mother, Linda, 57, the first victim, and veteran Essex Elementary School second-grade teacher Alicia Shanks, 56, of Essex, slain in her classroom at the school at about 2 p.m.

Wednesday, August 29, 2006 - Hillsborough, NC - one dead (father of teenage shooter) - two wounded (two students) - shooter showed up in a trench coat, with guns, pipe bombs, in a copycat of Columbine - Asked by police why he went to Orange High School, Alvaro Rafael Castillo, 19, responded: "Columbine. Remember Columbine.

Thursday, September 21, 2006 - Montgomery, Alabama - Former student Willie Beamon, 18, told a female student his plans to go Robert E. Lee High school to start shooting. The girl notified the police of what she had been told. Beamon was arrested at the Second Chance School he was attending after he had been expelled from Robert E Lee High School.

Wednesday, September 27, 2006 - Bailey, Colorado (39 miles from Columbine) - Duane R. Morrison, 54, (DOB 7-23-1953) walked into an English classroom at Platte Canyon High School, and took six young female students hostage. After releasing four hostages, one at a time, the students told the police that sexual assaults were occurring. As the situation neared a 4 pm deadline and discussions broke down, a police SWAT team blew open the door to Room 206 with explosives. Morrison fired a handgun at entering SWAT officers, and then at 16-year old Emily Keyes, fatally wounding her. The gunman then killed himself. The last hostage was saved. (A suicide note from the shooter was found on September 28th.)

"http://copycateffect.com/

Those are just a few in a quick search. Personally I do believe that some are just born evil. There are many children that have tried stabbing or harming their parent/parents as early as 4 years old. To me that is just frightening!
And then there are also those that have been tortured themselves and re-act what has been done to them.

Second question:

What are we as a society doing to prevent these type of crimes from happening? If in fact we can do anything.

Long thread I know...sorry about that.

[Heyzeus Kreyest]

I don't believe in inherent evil. Just a predisposition to make deadly choices. Some see the stories about these killers, and it appeals to them; the fame, the infamous reputation. Sometimes it's probably a cry for attention, I could see that. But I bet a it's more about competition. If you are sociopathic by nature and would kill, fame and infamy could well drive you to copy those who have done it best. I recall seeing people keep a score before, some community online that regarded school shooting a lot like a game; Cho leading with 33 points.

So people do think about it. Whenever something is done well enough to get fame or infamy, people are going to try to mimic it.

[AsheliaNariko]

i think that people do that to see if they could get away with it.
i mean i would do that to if i could...or had the guts to do so.

[M16]

i think that people do that to see if they could get away with it.
i mean i would do that to if i could...or had the guts to do so.

That's not something you want to go around admitting. Especially not on the internet.


Copcat killers are looking for attention. They want people to start thinking about them. They want the glory to themselves. Them being sociopathic tells you that they have no sane motivation for their actions.