"Head trauma" "it's bullying" "it's autism" "it's social media" "it's violent video games" "it's anti-depressants with black box warnings" "a war on children and young people" "it's pornography" "it's leftism" "it's abortion" "it's demon spirits coming down the wires and coming in through the wi-fi".
I was 18 when the Columbine Massacre occurred 26 years ago. It shocked me to my core. It shocked everyone. And 26 years later, the school shootings still happen. Though the next generation of school shooters seem to have have different exterior characteristics, the causes are the same as the previous generation of shooters, and the contributing factors above don't include some major underlying causes for either generation of shooters. For clarification, the mass shootings discussed in this piece only refer to the highly-publicized mass shootings perpetrated by White young people, and not referring to the mass school shootings perpetrated by Black young people (which are multiple times higher in number, yet get almost no publicity), as the causes and contributing factors are significantly different.
If it's not bullying, not violent video games, not antidepressants with black box warnings, what is it? Yes, it is true that some of the shooters had some of those possible contributing factors listed above, but those things are correlations, not causes. There are plenty of kids doing or engaging in those various things. What makes these young people want to shoot up schools? What's the X factor? What we have here is a failure to properly identify causes because it would break the last taboo in American culture: the parenting style.
Parents are reluctant to blame themselves for obvious reasons. How could any parent live with themselves knowing that their failures resulted in their child going to a school and murdering other people's children? Likewise, other adults are reluctant to blame other parents because of the "put yourself in their shoes" doctrine, which often corrupts moral judgement to the degree that adults can't properly identify cause and effect because feelings: "I wouldn't want someone to blame me if my kid shot up a school full of children, therefore I won't blame someone else for what their kid does." Except this type of thinking denies a real potential cause and prompts the parents to grasp at other explanations, all of which fall short.
I'm reminded of the book Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond in which Diamond begins the book explaining how he desired to explain why civilizations progress (or not) throughout history. Diamond commits a fatal flaw in his reasoning when he writes that he will not address genetic differences between races as a possible explanation for fear of being accused of racism. Once the author discounted one possible factor, even a taboo or politically incorrect one, everything that followed was fatally flawed.
We have done the same with the issue of school shooters. We search for simple explanations for a complex problem because one of the possible causes hits a little too close to home. Many times, the activists fighting to advocate for children and families are the ones whose families and children didn't turn out the way the parents had hoped. Having the particular specialty of helping people to overcome sexual and identity issues, I have run into this phenomenon several times, aggrieved mothers sending me articles and "research projects" wherein the mother grasps at nearly any explanation for why her child manifested a large amount of dysfunctional behaviors, because none of these mothers acknowledge with full honesty their unsuccessful efforts at parenting with their own unresolved mental health issues, a significant lack of good parenting skills, or both. What's also missing is the foundational understanding of what is a child, what is a child's understanding of core identity issues, what does a child need on an emotional level?
With technological advances since the Industrial Revolution, and more recently, since the introduction of the internet, human life has been engineered to exist in an environment and pattern that contradicts our creation. Take for example the state in which man existed naturally before his inventions overpowered his intellect. Man was created, lived in small tribes, and was limited in distance of travel by the speed and endurance of his feet. He could not easily pack up and move. Even with the use of mule and cart, moving one's entire household was a major undertaking driven by grave necessity.
People lived in villages, in close proximity. If you build a house with four walls, it's easier to build the next house connected to it with a shared wall because for the second house only requires building three walls because the fourth wall was part of the first house. These conjoined houses also provided insulation because very few of the walls were exposed to the wind and weather. Imagine living in a village such as this, and imagine who lives there with you. Everyone around you kew you from birth, and they never left except for death. You belonged. There was a gravity to the village, a gravity of personality, of beliefs, of understanding the world and man's place in it relative to his food source and its habitat, the weather patterns, the tides, all the cycles of nature that must be understood and respected to maximize the success of this and future generations. These villages were guided by elders, the ones who learned the knowledge in childhood and took the responsibility to pass it on to the next generations. In one word: Continuity.
This village model existed and was a necessity the world over until the introduction of the locomotive, where one individual could leave the village with ease and never return, and it became widespread practice to do so until few lived in villages anymore. Very few people still live in villages according to this model. We live in cities, towns, neighborhoods, but very few are known from birth to death by those around them. Without the village, we lack belonging. Without belonging, we lack identity. The soul longs for identity. Without identity, we don't know who we are nor the reason for having been created, nor how we are to act and for what reason. The soul longs for identity like the lungs long for breath. It's involuntary and part of our creation. We were created for connection, created to know and be known, created to belong to a people in a very intimate sense.
Before we dive into the details of a specific school shooter case, let me explain my experience. I'm a professional counselor. The methodology that I use is based mostly on the work of Dr. Robert Miller, a psychologist who developed a treatment approach called Image Transformation Therapy. The successes in my professional experience include a very wide range of cases, including sexual compulsions, eating disorders, problematic alcohol and drug use, anger issues, violence issues, helping minors who were suffering from self-harming behaviors, suicidal thoughts and attempts, and homicidal thoughts, threats, and behaviors. The theory underlying the methodology is that every problematic, dysfunctional, and unwanted thought, attraction, or behavior is sparked by a mind that is trying to resolve unmet needs caused by trauma or neglect. This theory even applies to school shooters, which I will explain in detail in a moment. Every school shooter has trauma or neglect of a certain type, and their minds are automatically trying to get those needs met.
Take for example a time that you have been without food, whether for fasting, or homelessness, or some other hardship or reason. The mind has a certain survival priority, that without food the mind hyperfixates on finding food, thus becoming alert to every sound or sight that might indicate food. A starving person is more likely to compromise on their standards for food, even resorting to dumpster diving or eating non-food items (e.g. grass, paper, even other humans) to get that need fulfilled. This is also the case for unmet emotional needs, especially in the case of children. We have emotional needs that when unmet, the survival mind hyperfixates on ways to get those emotional needs met.
Children, because of their underdeveloped prefrontal cortex (which is responsible for moral judgement) are especially more willing to do things they otherwise wouldn't do in order to get those needs met. Each problematic behavior has an emotional charge to it that reflects the lack, but the emotional charge is subjective even if the behavior is the same across a group of individuals. For example, if you get a group of 10 men who are addicted to pornography, show them a pornographic video, and ask them "what do you feel at the most intense moment for you in watching that video," their answers will vary. Some will say they feel CONNECTED, some SAFE, some will say they feel MASCULINE, ACKNOWLEDGED, CARED FOR, or that they feel WHOLE, or a number of other feelings, so the video or behavior can be the same, but the feeling or charge embedded in that experience may differ. This is the exact dynamic at play with the case of school shooters. Each one suffers a catastrophic lack or trauma, and their unguided minds with underdeveloped prefrontal cortex seek desperately for a salve or solution to ease the pain of that neglect or trauma.
While for this post I'll only detail the different factors in the "Valentine's Day Shooter" aka, Trinity "Jamie" Shockley case, the other shooters share very similar underlying issues which we can delve into another day. Thanks be to God that Miss Shockley was arrested before following through with her plan to shoot up her high school.
Trinity "Jamie" Shockley, a biological female, who self-reported as a "transgender male", was arrested February 13, 2025, the day before she had planned to execute a shooting at Mooresville High School in Mooresville, Indiana. This post is based on a police affidavit containing Discord chat messages, notebook entries, and statements from Shockley during police interviews. All of the information for this post came from the police affidavit. The affidavit refers to Shockley as "Trinity" "Jamie" "Shockley" and "Dex". I want to make it clear that the purpose of this isn't to cast blame on the parents for the purpose of shaming them, but to name possible contributing factors and underlying causes that sometimes result in children becoming violent toward others.
Setting the stage: Family dynamics
It is stated multiple times in the affidavit that her mother is recently deceased, "my mother passed away", "my mother died of a drug overdose last year", and that she could identify with Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz wanting to ruin Valentine's Day, "and ruin the families because he did not have his own. She can relate to that because of the loss of her mom and people talking about their moms." Also, "Trinity talked about her dad and missing him. Her dad is not very affectionate." It is unknown, but I suspect that Trinity's parents were unmarried and not living together at the time of her mom's death. At the time that the arrest warrant was served in February 2025, Trinity's dad was at the house, along with his girlfriend, Trinity's brother, and Trinity.
Already, we see a strained family dynamic. A little girl with a deceased mom who had a number of unresolved mental health problems (it is unknown if mom's bipolar disorder mentioned in the affidavit was an actual diagnosis or just something said by Trinity or someone else) which she was self-medicating with "drugs". Trinity's dad wasn't affectionate. Kids need hugs. They need affection. Dr. Meg Meeker explains that children believe about themselves what they think their parents believe about them. If your child thinks the parent doesn't love them, then the child will believe they are not loved, despite the parent's actual love for the child. A parent must be deliberate in regular and frequent expressions of affection, approval, and attention.
Psychologist Harry Harlow conducted a number of experiments on baby monkeys where he provided each monkey with an artificial mother. One monkey was given a "soft mother" wrapped in a blanket, and another baby monkey given a "wire mother" which was cold and hard. Both baby monkeys were given food, water, shelter, the same material goods. While the baby monkey with the soft mother seemed to live a normal baby monkey life, the baby monkey with the "wire mother" died. Harlow's experiment illustrated a very important point: children need closeness, connection, warmth, affection, and to feel cared for.
One very interesting dynamic about this survival model of psychology is that when it comes to fulfilling emotional needs, the illusion is good enough for the mind. That's the reason the 10 guys mentioned in the example above can feel connection, cared for, safe, acknowledged when watching a video of a girl who doesn't know he even exists. It's an illusion that she's showing him those things, but it's good enough for the mind's survival function.
This is relevant, because the detective's affidavit contains statement after statement of Trinity expressing feeling connected or trying to feel connected with various others including shooters, most notably Nikolas Cruz. In the list below are compiled different statements from the Trinity Shockley affidavit to illustrate potential emotional need dynamics at play. Many of these statements don't on their own reflect the emotional need dynamics, but taken as a whole the pattern is clear.
Feeling DISCONNECTED -----> longing to feel CONNECTED
She used the Discord moniker "Crazy Nikolaz".
Collage on her wall of mass murderers Dylan Roof, Nikolas Cruz, and Andrew Blaze.
Her laptop featured a wallpaper of Nikolas Cruz at trial.
"I want to be just like Elliot Rodger. He is my main influencer along with Nikolas Cruz."
"I am committing what Elliot Rodger as done. A mass shooting...Sig Sauer, AR-15, automatic semi pistol is what Elliott Rodger used."
"I miss Ethan. We were the same, born 2006, same eyes."
I cannot stop thinking about Nikolas. It's impossible why must he be so far away?...I love you Nikolas...there are days that I'll cry about you. My forever boy. You're a lovely soul from a broken home. I will always love you, no matter what, my darling."
"Why can't Nikolas be mine? I need him in my life. I mentally cannot go a day without him. He's so lovely and I can always understand him. He has taught me a bunch of things about guns..."
"Trinity stated that school is okay and that she does not have many friends. She keeps a close circle of friends."
"When listening to Cruz, it would make her feel something in her hearing about what he did. She hated him for what he did and at the same time she understood what he did. Cruz wanted to ruin Valentine's Day and ruin the families because he did not have his own. She can relate to that because of the loss of her mom and people talking about their moms."
"She uses TikTok, Messager [sic], Twitter, Spotify, Instagram, Red Note, Discord."
"She stated that she would take [redacted] with her because he was her crush, and it made sense that he would die. She wanted them to die together."
"Trinity's motivation for making the plan is Cruz. She wanted to prove that she is his number one fan. Trinity has an emotional attachment to Cruz."
"Trinity is bipolar like her mother." DID SHE SELF-DIAGNOSE?
"Trinity Stated that [Cruz] does not understand emotions and did not even cry when his mother pasted [sic] away. Trinity stated that she related a little bit with Cruz. They have the same mental problems. She is not diagnosed with a lot of it, but she has traits of it."
Many online friends, friends out of town. One friend from Canada that she calls her "sister" who is not her real sister.
"Trinity had looked up body armor because that is what Cruz had, and she wanted one as well."
"She also stated that it is more of an interest thing because she [sic] dad was in the military. Trinity wanted one [body armor] like him too."
POWERFUL, POWERLESS or LOSER, WINNER
"You may believe that I am some edgelord, but in reality I am just a loser."
"I am scared of living...it is this sad reality of living with piece of shits waste or life."
"Why must I be so easy to target."
"Back in 2022 I was relentlessly a victim of bullying."
"I hate living...I hate myself, make it stop...Replaceable! I want to cut, I deserve pain, nothing else." (Side note: generally speaking, whether the individual understands it or not, the act of cutting is done to relive the amount of emotional pressure, like cutting a hole in a balloon to let air out and relive pressure on the balloon.)
"Trinity advised that she was bullied about the accident that she had. People would tease her, and she has anger issues..."
"Trinity used to cut herself in the past because of anger issues." (again, trying to relive pressure buildup)
"After talking to people online or talking to anyone things [sic], she feels a sense of power to feel that way."
WANTING HELP:
Reached out to counselor re [emotional] breakdown and her mother - counselor wasn't available that day
Talked to guidance counselor instead.
"She is trying to get help with it [rage]." Wanted to be in home school because of how bad the thoughts got but her dad would not let her."
"Trinity talked to username TCCmama on Discord about killing herself but that she would not that [sic]."
Miss Roscoe (head of mental [health] for the Mooresville Consolidated School District, stated that, "Trinity has sought mental health resources from the school all the way back to when she was a freshman. She had expressed suicidal ideation in the past, but nothing was significant enough to cause intervention. Each time Trinity would try to receive mental health assistance, her father, Timothy Shockley, would deny her the access to the resources. It was Miss Roscoe's understanding that Mr. Shockley did not believe in mental health treatment and did not take his daughter's conditions seriously. On November 12th, 2024, two weeks after her 18th birthday, Trinity signed herself up for mental health assistance."
HOME LIFE
"Trinity informed me that she believed she was talking to me because of her dad's girlfriend. Trinity believes that she has a warrant for her arrest."
"She had a breakdown while at school because her mother had recently passed away from a drug overdose."
Trinity talked [to guidance counselor] about her dad and missing him. Her dad is not very affectionate, but she did not cry about it." "She does not have a firearm, but her dad has one in his car. He takes the gun away from her."
"Each time Trinity would try to receive mental health assistance, her father, Timothy Shockley, would deny her the access to the resources. It was Miss Roscoe's understanding that Mr. Shockley did not believe in mental health treatment and did not take his daughter's conditions seriously. "
Where was mom or dad when she had pictures plastered all over her room of school shooters? How was she alone long enough to watch the Nikolas Cruz trial for 5 years? Or to do enough research on the other school shooters she mentioned to know them as intimately as she does? This seems like a case where the parents gave her electronic devices and just left her to self-regulate, which is impossible for a child as their brains are underdeveloped, and they lack wisdom, experience, and agency to know and do what is in their best interest.
RAGE
Trinity would talk about hurting people and she would lie about it because of the rage that she feels.
"She is trying to get help with it [rage]." Wanted to be in home school because of how bad the thoughts got but her dad would not let her."
"She stated that she wanted to recreate [what] Cruz did, but she would never do anything like that. It was said out of rage."
UNKNWON EMOTIONAL PAYOFF
"She watched the Cruz trial, and it lasted for 5 years. She likes the victims' families' statements. Trinity like s the judge in the case because she did not cry."
(I watched the verdict read out by the lady judge. She looked at moments like she wanted to cry, but she held it back, stayed professional, fulfilled her job as the judge. It was an admirable display.)
KNOWN TRAUMA
Mom died of a drug overdose
