Dr. Adam LankfordAssociate ProfessorDepartment of Criminal JusticeUniversity of Alabama205-348-9901[email protected]adamlankford.com(IN WASHINGTON D.C. FOR SUMMER; AVAILABLE FOR PRINT MEDIA NATIONWIDE, BROADCAST MEDIA IN D.C. METRO AREA)
Dr. Lankford, author of the Myth of Martyrdom, has researched mass shooters and suicide terrorists, discovering evidence that suicide terrorists are suicidal, in the conventional sense, and are not simply driven by ideology or commitment to the cause. Additionally, rampage shooters, much like suicide terrorists, are either suicidal or suffer from other psychological issues, like depression or anxiety disorder.
"In brief, I would suggest that according to the attacker's psychology, most rampage shootings are 'hate crimes' because they target a symbolic group or category of people," Lankford said. "This makes them different from most other homicides, but this attack seems to fit the well established pattern. What makes the Roof case stand out is the escape of the perpetrator, which is extraordinarily rare. I've studied all cases in the United States since 1966, and the attacker escaped eventual arrest or death in only one."
Dr. Lankford has written for The New York Times, Foreign Policy, Wired, The Daily Beast, New Scientist, The Mail on Sunday, The Huffington Post, and numerous peer-reviewed journals. His research has been featured by CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, BBC World News Television, NPR, BBC World Radio, CBS Radio, The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune, Time, USA Today, and many other national and international outlets.
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