Business Security & Risk Management: When a Person "Just Snaps ...

Oakland crime scene investigators enter Oikos University?(Jonathan Gibby / Getty Images?/?April?4, 2012)
After an incident of workplace violence where an active shooter is involved, people will often comment that he or she "just snapped". ?Yet after-the-fact reports often show that there was a long history of known problems and prior acts of rage or violence that could have provided important clues about the?deteriorating mental condition of the future assailant. ?


Take a recent case such as One Goh, a 43 year old single Korean male who returned to the university nursing school he had been attending to take out his rage by shooting 7 people at point blank range and wounding 3 others later. ?

According to CBS: Police said Goh held a simmering rage toward an Oikos University school administrator and was out for vengeance after being kicked out of the school. ?Later reports suggest that Goh left the school voluntarily in November 2011 but wanted a refund for his tuition fees of around $6,000 which was not allowed as he had attended more than 50% of his classes. ?He requested the refund from the administrator and was angry at being turned down. ?The school said they thought they'd reached an agreement with Goh and that he planned to return to the school.


There were many warning signs in this case:

1. Goh had been observed to have difficulties relating to women, even though the school he chose to attend had a majority of female nursing students.
2. Goh felt financially pressured and demanded to have his tuition fees refunded.
3. A former teacher reportedly said" he was tormented by his inability to get along with women and often talked about violence".
4. One nursing instructor stated "he was mentally unstable and paranoid....he was clearly troubled.
5. He was observed to boast about picking fights and carried a gun for protection.?
6. Another person stated that if you asked him how he was doing he'd reply: "Why? Don't I look okay? ?Did I do something to you?"
7. One victim's husband said that Goh had caused a scene last year at the school according to his late-wife; he "lost it" in a confrontation with teachers and students at the school.
8. Others described Goh as a "loner", with behavioral problems and anger management problems.

This list of issues are classic signs for an ongoing and increasing level of risk with high potential for violence; especially with the escalation of Goh's angry conversations and his recent purchase of a weapon.


Authorities say that Goh had planned the rampage for weeks. ?He bought a .45-calibre semi-automatic handgun and had four loaded magazines of ammunition when he went on his deadly killing spree. ?Goh is being held on $5m bail on suspicion of murder, attempted murder, kidnapping and carjacking and is under consideration of eligibility for the death penalty.

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