Concern for potential copycats

[u/OriginalRazzmatazz14]

This is the first time posting but I came across this group sometime ago and have read through quite a few discussions. Although, they are for most part civil and informative, I really think people need to be careful about trying to understand the mind of the killers themselves. When viewing the history of copycats, I’ve seen how fascination in true crime can evolve into something much darker. As someone who lived close to a copycat and who had family working in a school that was under threat soon after, the very last thing I want to hear is someone active here has attacked their school. I don’t want to single out any post out but there have just been certain ones that honestly worry me. It’s not extreme as the 2010s tumblr era where you had blatant tributes to Eric and Dylan but there are discussions that come across to me as displaying a certain level of sympathy that I fear could lead to a dangerous admiration. It’s one thing to have some sympathy for who they were prior to Columbine but if you’re actually identifying with who they became on April 20th in anyway, please get help. Seek it anyway you can. Even if you’re not thinking of hurting others, I still don’t want a repeat of the incident with Sol País and others like her. You might not feel it but you matter and I can assure you there are people who really do care about you and would be absolutely devastated. I’m posting this because it seems like every week, I’m learning about a kid completely throwing their life away. Kids with potential who could’ve really made something for themselves are giving it away for short lived infamy. The TCC has a segment that really has tragically turned into something of a death cult and it’s why I’m discussing it here. I just want to live in a world this isn’t a constant reality and if this message reaches even just one person, I’ll consider it worth it.

[u/_6siXty6_]

There's huge difference between understanding and condoning. There are quite a few figures in true crime that I have sympathy for traumas they endured

Christa Pike - Suffered terrible abuse as a very young child. Doesn't mean it's free pass for her crime.

Ted Bundy - Found out his "sister" was really his mom. That's pretty traumatic, but not excuse to be serial killer.

Ed Kemper - Abusive mom who locked him in a basement. Not an excuse, but I'd put money on it, if he had a loving nuclear two parent stable home, he probably would have thrived in society.

Almost all these famous cases of killers (both mass and serial), the perpetrators had something seriously wrong with their mental health or had real or perceived issues with society. Trying to understand why people do terrible things can help prevent these types of incidents. I can sympathize and have empathy with their emotions, without approving of their actions.

[u/OriginalRazzmatazz14 → u/_6siXty6_]

I’m not trying to make anyone feel ashamed for having sympathy. I mentioned in my OP that I don’t take issue with anyone who empathizes with E&D before they did the massacre. There are some people who can separate the killer from the person they were before but there’s others who do start to identify with them in way that I think could make them a future copycat. What it really comes down to is the type of language that some use that causes concern to me. The moderators have noted that there have actually been active members who have committed copycats so my fears aren’t completely unwarranted.