How Grievance Turns to Violence in a Mass Shooter’s Mind

Mass shootings, such as the recent incident in Turkey, may seem sudden, but they usually stem from a gradual accumulation of personal resentment and fixation. On an otherwise typical Thursday, a 14-year-old in the southern city of Kahramanmaras entered a middle school, opening fire in two classrooms and killing eight students and one teacher. This tragic event followed a school shooting two days prior in Siverek, Sanliurfa province, where the attacker injured 16 individuals before taking his own life during a confrontation with police.

Though these incidents may appear sudden, they are typically not spontaneous. Most mass shootings follow a pattern that often incorporates intensifying personal grievances. Experts suggest that the notion of a “snap” decision is a common misconception. John Horgan, director of the Violent Extremism Research Group at Georgia State University, debunks this idea. “That doesn’t happen,” he said. “There’s always a long history of trauma, grievances that escalate over time, and major stressors like rejection or humiliation that act as the final triggers in a life marked by pain and hopelessness.”

A Complex Mixture of Emotion and Ideology

J. Reid Meloy, a forensic psychologist and FBI consultant, adds that mental illness is often oversimplified as the main cause. “Only a minority will have a diagnosed mental illness at the time of the attack,” he explained to DW. “In most cases, the impetus comes from personal grievance—loss, humiliation, anger, and blame—or a combination of such emotions with extremist beliefs.”

James Densley, a criminology professor at Minnesota’s Metro State University, highlights a distinction between mental illness and mental wellness. “Crisis isn’t the same as illness, and conflating them stigmatizes millions who aren’t connected to these acts,” he noted. Densley describes how feelings of rejection or failure can persist, becoming integral to a person’s self-perception. “It begins with a wound—real or imagined,” he said. “Most people process it and move forward, but some get trapped. They dwell on the pain until it defines their identity, and then the grievance takes on a personal or societal target, leading to a need for retribution.”

From Planning to Action

Horgan emphasizes that mass shooters often engage in detailed preparation. “They research their targets, plan their tactics, and sometimes seek input from like-minded individuals online,” he stated. “This process also involves figuring out how to obtain weapons or materials for the attack.” Despite this, the majority of people don’t act on violent impulses. The key difference lies in the decision to carry out the act.

“What sets those who commit public violence apart is a commitment to their fantasy,” Horgan said. “A commitment to making it real.” Densley points to a psychological shift during crises: “The catalyst is when someone, often in a suicidal state, begins to identify with previous attackers,” he observed. “If they have access to a firearm, that link to others ‘just like them’ can cross a critical psychological threshold—where dying and killing feel like one action.”

Recognizing Warning Signs

Densley suggests that preventing such attacks starts with identifying early signals. “In almost every case we’ve studied, someone noticed a change in behavior,” he said. “It could be withdrawal from social or professional life, an unusual social media post, or an intense new interest in guns.” These clues, he calls “leakage,” reveal the shooter’s intentions before the act.

“The warning signs were there,” Densley noted. “They might make jokes or threats, and peers are often the first to recognize something is wrong.”

By understanding these patterns, interventions may be possible. Yet, the path from grievance to violence remains a complex interplay of emotion, ideology, and opportunity.