Social media seems to play a large role in the lives of everybody, including
Last edited Tue Oct 20, 2015, 02:13 PM - Edit history (1)
shooters and killers. Mass shooters and domestic violence perpetrators alike tip their hand on media before acting out. Be it a 'manifesto' or violent rants there seems to be a lot of warning signs.
People are beginning to pick up on frightening postings and alerting police who are acting on those tips.
Ark. man arrested after posting 'I wanna do a mass shooting' on social media
http://www.thv11.com/story/news/local/2015/10/19/ark-man-arrested-after-posting-i-wanna-do-a-mass-shooting-on-social-media/74237832/
‘Credible threat’ prompted Wilfrid Laurier University lockdown Friday
http://www.therecord.com/news-story/5963414--credible-threat-prompted-wilfrid-laurier-university-lockdown-friday/
Emory University student arrested for shooting threat posted on Yik Yak
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2015/10/13/emory-university-student-arrested-for-shooting-threat-posted-on-yik-yak/
I, for one, am really tired of hearing about the mass shooter's postings after the fact. The fact that this information is available on public media should be part of the background check system. By having a permit to purchase that has to be issued by local police after a background check that includes interviews with employers, family members and a cursory look at social media I think we could curtail a lot of needless gun violence.
It's public information so I don't see a privacy issue.