Dr. David W. Goodman of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md., Advises Vigilance After Violent Incidents
BALTIMORE, Md. (WUSA) – Copycat crimes in the wake of violent incidents such as the rampage in an Aurora, Colorado theater last month are a recognized phenomena in many cultures.
The latest incident in our region occurred Wednesday in an Annapolis area theater, according to Anne Arundel County police.
A 23-year old man was arrested after allegedly making threats in front of a movie audience.
Dr. David W. Goodman, Assistant Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, tell 9News Now’s Scott Broom that identifying someone likely to commit a copycat crime is difficult, but the days and weeks after an incident is an important time to be vigilant.
“Awareness has to be heightened to those people who look as if they are growing increasingly paranoid, suspicious, isolated, … having very peculiar ideas that won’t be balanced by a counter-perspective,” Goodman says.
He adds that people should not be afraid to speak up when they hear disturbing threats from someone else.
