Step 5: Establish Assessment Procedures

Teams need to establish clearly defined processes and procedures to guide their assessments.

Note that any safety concerns should be immediately addressed before the procedures described below take place.

When followed, the procedures should allow the Team to form an accurate picture of the student’s thinking, behavior, and circumstances to inform the Team’s assessment and identify appropriate interventions.

Maintain documentation to keep track of when reports come in; the information that is gathered; when, where, and how it was obtained; who was interviewed; the behaviors and circumstances of the student of concern; and the intervention strategies taken.

Documentation requirements, such as forms and templates, should be included in the plan to ensure standardization across cases.

Use a community systems approach. An effective approach for gathering information to assess a student of concern is to identify the sources that may have information on the student’s actions and circumstances. This involves identifying the persons with whom the student has a relationship or frequently interacts and the organizations or platforms that may be familiar with the student’s behaviors.

Students exist in more than one system and they come in contact with people beyond their classmates and teachers at school.

Gathering information from multiple sources ensures that Teams are identifying concerning behaviors, accurately assessing the student’s risks and needs, and providing the appropriate interventions, supports, and resources.

Examine online social media pages, conduct interviews, review class assignments, and consider searching the student’s locker or desk.

Team members should also review academic, disciplinary, law enforcement, and other formal records that may be related to the student.

When reviewing school records, be sure to determine whether the student has been the subject of previous reports to school officials, especially if the student has a history of engaging in other concerning or threatening behaviors. Also determine if the student received any intervention or supports and whether those were beneficial or successful.

The Team may be able to draw on information from previous incidents and interventions to address the current situation for the student. This factor further emphasizes the importance of the Team’s documentation to ensure the accuracy and availability of information regarding prior contacts the student of concern may have had with the Team.

Family | Law Enforcement Social | Judicial Neighbors Online | Student | Teachers Classmates Hobbies | Employment

Build rapport that can facilitate information-gathering efforts.

By demonstrating that their goal is to support individuals who may be struggling, while ensuring that the student and the school are safe, Teams may be better able to build a positive relationship with a student of concern and the student’s parents or guardians.

When Teams have established this rapport, parents or guardians may be more likely to share their own concerns, and the student may be more forthcoming about frustrations, needs, goals, or plans.

U.S. Secret Service research identified the following themes to explore when conducting a threat assessment investigation: • The student’s motives and goals • Concerning, unusual, or threatening communications • Inappropriate interest in weapons, school shooters, mass attacks, or other types of violence

Evaluate the student’s concerning behaviors and communications in the context of his/her age and social and emotional development.

Some students’ behaviors might seem unusual or maladaptive, but may be normal for adolescent behavior or in the context of a mental or developmental disorder.

To ensure that these students are being accurately assessed, collect information from diverse sources, including the reporting party, the student of concern, classmates, teammates, teachers, and friends.

Consider whether those outside of their immediate circle, such as neighbors or community groups, may be in a position to share information regarding observed behaviors.

Access to weapons • Stressful events, such as setbacks, challenges, or losses • Impact of emotional and developmental issues • Evidence of desperation, hopelessness, or suicidal thoughts and gestures • Whether the student views violence as an option to solve problems • Whether others are concerned about the student’s statements or behaviors • Capacity to carry out an attack • Evidence of planning for an attack • Consistency between the student’s statements and actions • Protective factors such as positive or prosocial influences and events

Teams should organize their information gathering around several themes or areas pertaining to the student’s actions, circumstances, and any other relevant threat assessment factors.

Addressing each theme is necessary for a complete assessment and may uncover other avenues of inquiry to help determine whether the student is at risk for engaging in violence.

Using the themes to identify where the student might be struggling will help the Team identify the most appropriate resources.

Keep in mind, there is no need to wait until the Team has completed all interviews or addressed every theme before taking action. As soon as an area for intervention is identified, suitable management strategies should be enacted.

Students may have a variety of motives that place them at risk for engaging in harmful behavior, whether to themselves or others.

If you can discover the student’s motivation for engaging in the concerning behavior that brought him/her to the attention of the Team, then you can understand more about the student’s goals.

The Team should also assess how far the student may be willing to go to achieve these goals, and what or who may be a potential target.

Understanding motive further allows the Team to develop management strategies that can direct the student away from violent choices.

On February 12, 2016, a 15-year-old female student fatally shot her girlfriend while they were sitting under a covered patio at their high school and then fatally shot herself.

In several notes found after the incident, the student explained that she carried out her attack because her girlfriend had recently confessed that she was contemplating ending their relationship.

She also wrote in her notes that she hated who she was and that learning her girlfriend wanted to end their relationship “destabilized” her.

Look for concerning, unusual, bizarre, threatening, or | On October 24, 2014, a 15-year-old male student opened violent communications the student made.

The student’s communications may reveal grievances held about certain issues or a possible intended target.

They may allude to violent intentions or warn others to stay away from school at a certain time.

They may reveal information relevant to the other investigative themes by making reference to feelings of hopelessness or suicide, a fascination with violence, interest in weapons, or other inappropriate interests.

These statements might be made in person to classmates, teammates, or friends; in writing on assignments or tests; and/or via social media, text messages, or photo or video-sharing sites.

fire on five of his closest friends as they were having lunch in the school cafeteria, killing four of them, and then fatally shot himself.

In the months prior to his attack, the student sent a number of text messages to his ex-girlfriend indicating he was considering suicide and posted videos on Snapchat that mentioned suicide.

Two people confronted the student about his concerning statements, but he told them he was just joking or having a bad moment.

The student also posted a number of Twitter messages indicating he was having trouble overcoming a setback, posting in one Tweet, “It breaks me… It actually does… I know it seems like I’m sweating it off… But I’m not..

Earlier NTAC research that examined attacks on schools found that not every student directly threatened their target prior to attack, but in a majority of incidents (81%), another person was aware of what the student was thinking or planning.

It is important for Teams to remember that a student who has not made threatening statements may still be at risk for engaging in violence.

Whether or not the student made a direct threat should not be the lone indicator of concern.

Gather information about whether the student has shown | In addition to determining whether the student has any an inappropriate or heightened interest in concerning topics such as school attacks or attackers, mass attacks, or other types of violence.

These interests might appear in the student’s communications, the books the student reads, the movies the student watches, or the activities the student enjoys.

The context of the student’s interests is an important factor to consider. For example, a student’s interest in weapons may not be concerning if the student is a hunter or is on the school’s rifle team, with no evidence of an inappropriate or unhealthy fixation on weapons.

In other situations, the context surrounding a student’s interest in weapons could be of concern. For example, if a student is fixated on past school shooters or discusses what firearm would be best to use in a mass attack.

inappropriate interests or fascination with weapons, the Team should assess whether the student has access to weapons.

Because many school attackers used firearms acquired from their homes, consider whether the family keeps weapons at home or if there is a relative or friend who has weapons.

Sometimes parents who keep weapons at home incorrectly assume that their children are unaware of where they are stored or how to access them.

If there are weapons at home, the Team should determine if they are stored appropriately and if the student knows how to use them or has done so in the past.

The Team should also remember that firearms are not the only weapons to be concerned about. Even though many school attackers have used firearms in carrying out their attacks, explosives, incendiary devices, bladed weapons, or combinations of these weapons have been used in past attacks.

On October 21, 2013, a 12-year-old male student took a handgun to his middle school and opened fire, injuring two classmates and killing a teacher. He then fatally shot himself.

In the months leading up to his attack, the student conducted numerous internet searches for violent material and content, including “Top 10 evil children,” “Super Columbine Massacre Role Playing Game,” ”shoot,” “guns,” “bullets,” “revenge,” “murder,” “school shootings,” and “violent game.” He also searched for music videos of and songs about school shootings. On his cell phone, the student had saved photos of violent war scenes and images of the Columbine High School shooters.

He also enjoyed playing video games, doing so for several hours each night. Of his 69 video games, 47 were first-person shooter or similar games.

On April 29, 2014, a 17-year-old male student was arrested after a concerned citizen called police when she observed the student acting suspiciously around a storage unit and thought he might be attempting to break into one. Responding officers discovered bomb-making material and other weapons inside the unit the student had asked a friend’s mother to rent for him.

The student later confessed to an extensive plot that involved murdering his parents and sister, setting a diversionary fire, planting explosive devices at his high school, targeting students and the school resource officer for harm, and engaging in gunfire with responding police officers before committing suicide.

The student admitted that at some point he became fascinated with chemicals, explosives, and weapons and began researching how to build his own explosive devices. He created his own channel on YouTube to post videos that showed him detonating his devices and included a written commentary about each video.

All students face stressors such as setbacks, losses, | Stressors can occur in all areas of a student’s and other challenges as part of their lives.

While many students are resilient and can overcome these situations, for some, these stressors may become overwhelming and ultimately influence their decision to carry out an attack at school.

Gather information on stressors the student is experiencing, how the student is coping with them, and whether there are supportive friends or family who can help the student overcome them.

Assess whether the student experienced stressors in the past that are still having an effect, such as a move to a new school, and whether there might be additional setbacks or losses in the near future, like a relationship that might be ending. life, including at school with coursework, friendships, romantic relationships, or teammates; or outside of school with parents, siblings, or at jobs.

Many students can experience bullying, a stressor which can take place in person at school or online at home.

Teams should intervene and prevent bullying and cyberbullying of a student who has been brought to their attention.

More broadly, administrators should work to address any concerns regarding bullying school-wide and ensure their school has a safe climate for all students.

On November 12, 2008, a 15-year-old female student fatally shot a classmate while students were changing classes. The attacker fled to a restaurant across the street from her high school and phoned 9-1-1 to turn herself in to police.

Prior to her attack, she faced a number of stressors in her life, mostly outside of school. As an infant, her college-aged parents abandoned her and she was raised largely by her grandparents.

At the age of six years, she was sexually molested by a family member; and at age 12, she was raped by an uncle. She did have some contact with her birth parents, but her mother was reportedly abusive and suffered from severe mental illness; and her father began serving a 25-year prison sentence for murder around the time she was 14 years old.

At her high school, she was lonely, appeared to struggle to connect with others, and had behavior problems.

Anxiety, depression, thoughts of suicide, and other mental | Assess whether the student feels hopeless, desperate, health issues are important factors to consider when conducting an assessment.

Keep in mind that students with emotional issues or developmental disorders might behave in a way that is maladaptive, but might not be concerning or threatening because the behavior is a product of their diagnosis.

Behaviors exhibited by a student with a diagnosed disorder need to be evaluated in the context of that diagnosis and the student’s known baseline of behavior.

If the student is experiencing feelings related to a diagnosable mental illness, such as depression, then the Team needs to consider the effect of these feelings on their behaviors when assessing the student’s risk of engaging in harm to self or others.

On January 18, 1993, a 17-year-old male student fatally shot his English teacher and a school custodian at his high school and held classmates hostage before surrendering to police.

The student had recently turned in a poem to his English teacher for an assignment that discussed his thoughts of committing homicide or suicide.

The student had failed in at least three prior suicide attempts, including one the night before his attack.

Although the student entered a plea of guilty but mentally ill at trial, ultimately he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

Determine if the student has had thoughts about or engaged in behaviors that would indicate the student’s desperation.

The Team should determine whether the student has felt this way before, how the student managed those feelings then, and whether those same resources for coping are available to the student now.

Consider whether the student has tried addressing the problems in a positive way, but was unable to resolve them, thereby leading to a sense of hopelessness about their situation.

On February 1, 1997, a 16-year-old male student used a shotgun to fire on fellow students in the common area of his high school prior to the start of the school day. He killed one student and the principal and injured two additional students.

Prior to his attack, the student had been bullied and teased by several classmates, including the student killed.

At some point prior to his attack, the student asked the principal and dean of students for help with the bullying he was experiencing. They intervened, and though the situation improved temporarily, the teasing and bullying soon resumed.

The student asked the principal for help a second time, but this time the principal advised him to just ignore the bullies. The student tried, but felt like the victimization worsened and he began to feel hopeless that it would ever end.

After his attack, the student explained that he felt as though he had asked the “proper people” for assistance, but he was denied help, so he decided that bringing a gun to school would scare his tormentors and get them to leave him alone.

When some friends learned of the plan, they told him that he had to use the weapon to shoot people or the bullying would continue. The student decided he would have to fire the weapon at people in order to end his torment.

Some students, who are feeling hopeless and out of | In previous incidents, many students made statements or options, may think violence is the only way to solve a problem or settle a grievance.

The Team should look to see whether the student thinks violence is acceptable or necessary, if the student has used violence in the past to address problems, and whether the student has thought of alternative ways to address the grievances.

The Team should also assess whether peers, or others, support and encourage the student to use violence as a means to an end.

If possible, connect the student with more positive, prosocial role models who discourage violence and identify more acceptable ways to solve problems.

On March 25, 2011, a 15-year-old male student fired two shots at a classmate, wounding him in the abdomen. After firing the weapon, the student fled the scene and dropped the gun in a field. He was arrested about an hour after the incident.

The student had a history of being involved in numerous physical altercations with other students throughout his 6th, 7th, and 8th grade school years. Additionally, he tried to start a fight with the targeted victim, and once threatened him with a chain.

About three weeks prior to the attack, the student threatened to blow up the school. Days prior to the incident, the student, who was angry at the targeted victim, told a friend that he planned to kill him. engaged in behaviors

Assess whether parents, friends, classmates, teachers, or others who know the student are worried about the student and whether they have taken any actions in response to their concerns. Gather information on the specific behaviors that caused worry or fear.

These could include behaviors that may have elicited concerns about the safety of the student or others, such as unusual, bizarre or threatening statements; intimidating or aggressive acts; indications of planning for an attack; suicidal ideations or gestures; or a fixation on a specific target.

Other behaviors that elicit concern may not necessarily be indicative of violence, but do require that the Team assess the behavior and provide appropriate supports. Examples of these behaviors include alcohol or drug use; behavior changes related to academic performance, social habits, mood, or physical appearance; conflicts with others; and withdrawal or isolation.

On December 7, 2017, a 21-year-old male shot and killed two students at his former high school before fatally shooting himself. Prior to his attack, a number of individuals had expressed concern regarding his behaviors and statements.

Sometime in 2012, other users of an online forum were concerned after the student made threats about attacking his school. In March 2016, federal investigators met with the student after he made comments in an online chat room about wanting to find an inexpensive assault rifle he could use for a mass shooting. At the time, a family member told the investigators that the student was troubled and liked to make outlandish statements.

At some point prior to his attack, the student posted content supportive of the attacks at Columbine High School in an online forum, upsetting many of the forum’s users.

Determine whether the student’s thinking and behavior | Targeted attacks at school are rarely sudden or is organized enough to plan and execute an attack and whether the student has the resources to carry it out.

Planning does not need to be elaborate and could be as simple as taking a weapon from home and inflicting harm on classmates at school.

Other student attackers may develop more complex and lengthier plans.

At the very least, carrying out an attack requires that the student has access to a weapon and the ability to get that weapon to school undetected.

On January 14, 2014, a 12-year-old male student used a shotgun with a sawed-off stock to fire three rounds of birdshot at fellow students gathered in their middle school gymnasium prior to the start of the school day. He injured two students and a security guard before surrendering to a teacher.

The student began talking about his attack plans as early as November 2013, saying that he wanted to fire a weapon in the air to make people take him seriously.

According to reports, his father owned a pistol and a shotgun. In January 2014, the student wrote in his diary that he wanted to use his father’s pistol for his attack, but was unable to locate it so he used the shotgun instead.

The morning of the attack, the student was driven to school by a family member so he hid his shotgun in a duffel bag, claiming it contained items for his gym class. impulsive

The Team should assess whether the student has made specific plans to harm the school.

The student might create lists of individuals or groups targeted for violence, or research tactics and materials needed to carry out the attack. The student may conduct surveillance, draw maps of the planned location, and test security responses at school. He/she may write out detailed steps and rehearse some aspects of a plan, such as getting to the school, the timing of the attack, or whether to attempt escape, be captured, or commit suicide. The student may also acquire, manufacture, or practice with a weapon.

On December 13, 2013, an 18-year-old male student entered his high school with a shotgun, a large knife, bandoliers with ammunition, and a number of homemade Molotov cocktails. He opened fire on two female students, fatally shooting one. He then entered the school library and opened fire on a faculty member there, who was able to escape through a back door. The student then set fire to a shelf of books in the library with one of his Molotov cocktails before fatally shooting himself.

The student spent three months planning his attack, starting a diary on his computer in September 2013 to detail his plans. There he wrote that he wanted to choose a day during final exams so that the largest number of students would be present.

Over the next few months, he planned how and where he would enter the school, including where he would initiate the attack, and purchased the firearm and ammunition he would use. On the morning of the incident, the student purchased a four-pack of glass soda bottles and used these to create the Molotov cocktails he deployed during the attack.

The Team should corroborate the student’s statements to determine that they are consistent with the student’s actions and behaviors and with what other people say about the student.

When inconsistencies are identified, the Team should then try to determine why that is the case.

For example, the student might say that he/she is handling a romantic break-up well, but posts on social media indicate the student is struggling to move on, and friends report that the student is more upset or angry about the break-up than reported.

Determine whether the inconsistency is because the student is deliberately hiding something or if the inconsistency stems from another underlying issue. For example, a depressed student may claim that they are isolated, even if they regularly go out with a large group of students.

If the inconsistency is deliberate, it is important to determine why the student feels the need to conceal his/her actions. The concealment may be as simple as a fear of facing punishment for some other inappropriate behavior, or it may be related to hidden plans for a violent act.

On June 10, 2014, a 15-year-old male student brought a rifle, handgun, nine magazines with ammunition, and a knife into the boy’s locker room at his high school. He had taken the weapons from his brother’s locked gun case in his home.

Once at school, he changed into all black clothing, and donned a helmet, face mask, and a non-ballistic vest. He then fatally shot one student and wounded a teacher. After being confronted by staff and law enforcement, the student fatally shot himself in a bathroom.

Prior to his attack, the student was an ordained deacon at his church and was appointed president of the deacon’s quorum. He participated in youth night at the church, Boy Scouts, youth basketball, and track. Friends described him as friendly and outgoing. He was also a member of the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) and was fascinated with guns and the military.

Despite his outward appearance, some time prior to his attack, he wrote in a journal about his plans to kill his classmates and spoke harshly about “sinners,” which included people who smoked cigarettes and took the Lord’s name in vain.

A thorough threat assessment requires understanding the full picture of a student’s behaviors and environment, which also includes accounting for the positive and prosocial influences on the student’s life.

The Team should identify factors that may restore hope to a student who feels defeated, desperate, or in a situation that is impossible to overcome. This includes determining whether the student has a positive, trusting relationship with an adult at school. This could be a teacher, coach, guidance counselor, administrator, nurse, resource officer, or janitor.

A trusted adult at school in whom the student can confide and who will listen without judgment can help direct a student toward resources, supports, and options to overcome setbacks.

Learn who the student’s friends are at school and if the student feels emotionally connected to other students. A student may need help developing friendships that they can rely on for support.

Positive situational or personal factors might help to deter a student from engaging in negative or harmful behaviors. Changes in a student’s life, such as having a new romantic relationship or becoming a member of a team or club, might discourage any plan to engage in violence.

The Team could also use activities or groups the student wants to take part in as motivation for the student to engage in positive and constructive behaviors, such as attending class, completing assignments, and adhering to a conduct or behavior code.