Why is the news trying to paint a personality profile of mass shooters?

[Ryan L]

Ever since the shooting I keep hearing all this bs on TV about "alarming behavior in kids" which includes "social isolation", "difficulty making friends", "poor social skills", and long term sadness. Personally I think this is absolutely insane. Just because someone is a bit of an introvert and doesn't have top notch social skills doesn't mean they're dangerous or should be considered as potential time bombs by their parents. I mean it's awful the media is encouraging parents to judge their kids social lives and consider therapy if their kids are not asking themselves! I mean it's go to be bad enough feel like you have no friends the whole day at school but imagine how horrible it would be to go home and know your parents think your a loser and may even be frightened by your suffering!?

Not to mention all this talk of the shooter suffering from "aspergers", that is completely irrelevant it means he's unable to read others emotions and lacks greater empathy. The fact someone has aspergers does not mean they are unable to understand emotion at all! Even the mom taking the crazy mother hugger to the gun range was an attempt at giving him confidence and something to be proud of, something that could have done a world of good for his social abilities and at minimum his self worth.

The kid was reported to be "unable to feel pain" and would go into "episodes" where no one could communicate with him and his mother would need to be called in. THAT IS CRAZY AND THAT IS WHAT THE NEWS NEEDS TO BE TELLING PARENTS TO BE ON THE LOOK OUT FOR!

[Sumeto]

You are right that it's horrid and sad that parents would be looking at their nerdy kids as potential killers.

But if we can't screen gun-buyers, we'll have to screen our own children. Profoundly depressing.

Another thing about this particular story: I read that Nancy Lanza was on the verge of committing Adam to some kind of residential treatment facility, but hadn't completed the process. The theory is that that's why he snapped.

I bring this up only to make another point: it's far too difficult, and takes too long, to put anyone in a treatment facility, b/c this kid had been worrisome forever.