FBI launches new campaign to prevent mass violence events

ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - The FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit is urging people to take notice when their friends, family, classmates, and coworkers show signs they may be on a "pathway to violence."

It's part of the agency's Prevent Mass Violence Campaign , which encourages people to pay attention to signs that may show someone is potentially on a path to committing mass violence to report the behavior to someone they trust who can help.

"What research has shown is these offenders are obsessively interested in prior attackers or attacks," said David Herr, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the St Louis FBI Office on Total Information A.M. "Some have gone and probe the security of a possible target location and another thing we are seeing is an increase in isolation from family and friends."

Herr tells KMOX most individuals don't simply just "snap". He says they take time to prepare their violent acts.

Herr says research has shown that among the more preferable ways to prevent mass violence is to report it to authorities or an official they trust rather than confront someone if you see signs.

"What we prefer instead is someone report it to law enforcement or if not law enforcement, someone who they trust like a school official, a coach or a religious leader," said Herr.

Herr says it is better for people to be more over concerned about something as opposed to not saying something and regretting it later on because they were able to curve a violent act.

"I think that when someone has the concern about someone, there's a specific window of time where the bystander who is in a position to identify the concerning behavior could actually talk to the right person and get the offender the help that they need," said Herr.