Citation

Metzl JM. Lancet 2011; 377(9784): 2172-2173.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/s0140-6736(11)60950-1

PMID

21714165

Abstract

On Jan 8, 2011, a 22-year-old high-school dropout named Jared Lee Loughner allegedly opened fire at a "Congress On Your Corner" meeting outside a grocery store in Tucson, AZ, USA. Using a 9 mm Glock 19 semiautomatic pistol, Loughner shot US Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and then fired indiscriminately into the gathered crowd. Six people died and 19 were injured by the less-than-a-minute shooting spree, which ended when an injured bystander tackled Loughner as he attempted to reload.
Mainstream media outlets debated various theories in the aftermath of the horrific crime. Did a vitriolic political speech catalyse Loughner's actions? Were readily available guns and ammunition magazines to blame? However, in fairly short order, the media focused on narratives that held mental illness responsible for the violence. Stories on CNN's website focused on "Guns and Mental Illness" alongside pictures of Loughner looking shaved, glassy-eyed, and crazed. David Brooks, from The New York Times, suggested that Loughner suffered from schizophrenia while asking "How can we more aggressively treat mentally ill people who are becoming increasingly disruptive?" And TIME magazine asked, "Why Are the Mentally Ill Still Bearing Arms?"
Such rhetoric probably sounded familiar to many Americans. Similar stories appeared in the aftermath of other recent high-profile gun crimes, from Columbine to Northern Illinois University to Virginia Tech. In each case, media connected the psychological instability of shooters to broader calls to limit gun rights for the mentally ill. It is undoubtedly the case that some people with mental illness commit crimes. Indeed, last month a federal judge ruled that Loughner was not mentally competent to stand trial due to his "delusions, bizarre thoughts, and hallucinations". However, the contention that mental illness caused any particular shooting is more complicated than it might seem.

Language: en

Keywords

Commitment of Mentally Ill; Dangerous Behavior; Firearms; Harm Reduction; Humans; Mentally Ill Persons; Needs Assessment; United States; Violence; Wounds, Gunshot