Prevent the next massacre, identify the ‘I’m dead’ look
As we approach the first anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting, another horrific event has occurred, this one in the workplace, and everyone asks, “Why can’t we prevent these from occurring?” “Why can’t law enforcement stop these murderous events?”
There is a reason: Gavin de Becker, in his book “Just 2 Seconds,” informs us that from the moment an assailant decides to pull his weapon and start shooting to when the first round is discharged is just 2 seconds. Within 5 seconds, there will be dead, dying and/ or wounded victims.
Regardless of how well trained security or law-enforcement officers may be, or how well equipped they are, they typically will arrive on the scene, stepping over those who were murdered during those horrific first 5 seconds. We must identify these assailants and act before they do.
In the United States, an individual must be seen as criminal or imminently criminal (known as probable cause) so that law enforcement can investigate. Consider the terrorist Omar Mateen, the Pulse nightclub shooter. Before he acted out, the FBI could not demonstrate enough probable cause to convince a judge to approve a continued investigation and surveillance. The investigation that was underway ended, and Mateen attacked: 49 died and at least 68 were injured — in Orlando.
We as citizens are told repeatedly, “See something, say something.” But what are we looking for? What constitutes seeing something? The FBI and the Secret Service agree that the only reliable way to prevent a future shooting is to identify someone who is “on the path to violence.”
There are objective characteristics you can look for to identify someone who is about to commit a murderous act, and these characteristics have nothing to do with culture, gender, education, sexual orientation, age or mental health. Thus, you sidestep the issue of political correctness.
Here’s what to look for, whether in the workplace or public places: When a person raises to the level of “intention” — a level where he is prepared to give up his life for a cause — his body responds to this intention by losing animation. In essence, his body says, “I’m dead,” and his facial expression takes on a specific look. Unlike the red-faced expression of anger, this look is devoid of emotion. The military calls this look the “thousand-yard stare”; others refer to it as “dead eyes.”
But it is more than a mere facial expression; his whole body language and behavior reflect his intentions. This is a scary, walking-dead-like look, which jumps out at you from within a crowd. Remember the photos of Omar Mateen?
Did those who died Monday at Fiamma in east Orange County see this look in their former co-worker? Did the survivors?
If we are to stop someone who is on the path to violence before the horrific moment of commitment, we must become more proficient at identifying and reporting individuals with this very specific look.