The offender will have a history of paranoid behavior and openly voicing dissatisfaction with general or specific circumstances in his life. There are usually long-term precipitating and predisposing factors in the development of this state, and a likely result is emotional or mental illness. The mental disorders commonly found among authority killers are depressive reactions, paranoia, or paranoid psychosis. Another result of this developmental situation is interpersonal failures and conflicts, such as separation, divorce, job loss, failure in school, or other such personal traumatic events that will precipitate the acting out against authority. Frustrations accompanied by the inability to handle or resolve such situations are often precipitating events.
Suicide attempts are common.
Investigating officials should be aware of the offender's preparation period for the final event by looking for specific reading material, collections of weaponry, uniforms, paraphernalia, and other items of paramilitary interest. Statements made by the offender just prior to, during, and immediately after the assault should be carefully noted and documented by investigative personnel. Search for diaries, scrap books and computer logs. Also search for prescribed medications to link suspect to psychiatric conditions. He had complained that the job was too stressful, and as his emotional problems worsened during February 1989, his employers responded by placing him on disability leave.