Breaking the Silence: Bystander Reporting to Law Enforcement Disrupts Individuals Moving Toward Targeted Violence.

A groundbreaking study published in Law and Human Behavior provides empirical evidence that addresses a critical question in threat assessment: Does law enforcement monitoring of individuals who exhibit concerning behaviors actually reduce their risk of engaging in violence?

The answer, according to the research, is yes.

Read the full article here.

Written By Homeland Security Today

Austria in mourning after school shooting in Graz leaves 11 dead

June 10, 2025: “We’ve been verifying videos posted online following the shooting, including the below footage of the moment loud gunshots were heard in a classroom.”

Source: BBC.com

The Austrian city of Graz is in mourning after a suspected gunman killed 10 people in a secondary school shooting this morning.

Seven women and three men are so far counted among the dead, local officials have said.

The 21-year-old suspect – a former pupil that did not graduate from the high school – is believed by police to have killed himself in the school bathroom.

Read the full article here.

Reported bullying, bias and hate speech numbers are climbing in the state, especially affecting students from marginalized communities.

Written by Dorothy Wigmore, njea.org

Many forms of violence in New Jersey schools—and elsewhere—seem to be getting worse.

At violence workshops, teachers now talk about broken jaws and ask when to call the police, says Cecelia Leto, New Jersey Work Environment Council’s project director.

“They’re not getting the support they need,” Leto says.

Committees should get a handle on all the district players involved around violence, including the new teams, trying to coordinate with them about reporting, training and prevention with a health and safety focus.

Read the full article here.

Prevent 2 Protect is a groundbreaking program that helps assess and manage students who have been identified as high-risk through behavioral threat assessment.

Drawing on the expertise of mental health providers, law enforcement officials and educators, Prevent 2 Protect provides a research-to-practice hub.

Written By Alyse Folino Ley, MSUToday

The goal of preventive medicine is to find and treat problems before they become major health issues. Prevent 2 Protect — an MSU initiative that recently began supporting the community through schools in Ingham County and will soon expand to Wayne County — uses a similar approach with high-risk students to prevent acts of targeted violence.

When educators in participating regional schools identify concerning student behavior that could lead to violence, a behavioral threat assessment is completed by the school and then a referral is made to Prevent 2 Protect.

Read the full article here.

Educators are worried about being blamed for “attacking” students when it’s the other way around.

What about “threat assessment teams?”

Districts now must establish and train multidisciplinary “threat assessment teams” to identify and assess students demonstrating “concerning communications or behavior.”

Written By Dorothy Wigmore of the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA)

Many forms of violence in New Jersey schools—and elsewhere—seem to be getting worse.

Reported bullying, bias and hate speech numbers are climbing in the state, especially affecting students from marginalized communities. New types of violence are being reported. Two recent Canadian studies warn that low-level anti-social classroom behavior, or incivility, increased since the pandemic started and found it can lead to bullying.

Read the full article here.

Photo by Stephen Harlan on Unsplash

A plan to prevent school shootings — and litigation — could surface in the Legislature

“They’re gambling that it’s never going to happen with their school,” he said. “But it’s really not a safe gamble to be taking.”

By Carly Flandro, Idaho Ed News

Since a 2021 school shooting in Jefferson County left three injured, Prosecutor Mark Taylor has been searching for ways to ensure such violence never happens again.

He found hope in a program developed by the U.S. Secret Service that helps local communities identify potential threats and prevent disaster.

What actions can be implemented to help prevent a school shooting from occurring? BTAM.

After bringing the Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM) program to Jefferson County School District, Taylor is now on a mission to see the program implemented statewide.

“There’s a desperate need for this in Idaho, and it’s not happening,” he said.

Read the full article here.

Student arrested after attempting to enter elementary school.

Schools using threat assessment see fewer suspensions, expulsions and arrests with only 1% of students being arrested.

Written By Andie Bernhardt, CBS58

Kenosha school employees prevented a potential school shooting on Thursday, Nov. 7 when a 13-year-old showed up to an elementary school with a rifle.

All students and staff are safe tonight, and the suspect is in custody.

Kenosha police said the 13-year-old boy is a student in Kenosha.

Shortly after 9 a.m., the boy walked into Roosevelt Elementary School, carrying a black backpack and a duffle bag.

Read the full article with police video updates here.

Threat assessment teams are required, but their impact remains uncertain due to implementation concerns.

By Hannah Gross, NJ Spotlight News

“We appreciate that lawmakers intended to better protect New Jersey students and educators by passing this law. However, based on our understanding of school discipline disparities and threat assessment team best practices, we are concerned that implementing this law will negatively impact New Jersey students…”

Read the full article here.

The number of threats after a Georgia school shooting this month is much higher than usual, many officials said.

Schools using threat assessment see fewer suspensions, expulsions and arrests with only 1% of students being arrested.

Written By Troy Closson and Shaila Dewan, The New York Times

Earlier this month, a detective knocked on Shavon Harvey’s door, in suburban Ohio, to ask about her son. The son had sent a Snapchat message from her phone to his friends, saying there would be shootings at several schools nearby.

Read the full article here.

Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood has been warning anyone who will listen that those who make threats against schools will face dire consequences.

It is everyone’s responsibility to get involved and assist with intervention techniques designed to move an individual off the Pathway To Violence!

Written by Patricio G. Balona Daytona Beach News-Journal

But it appears some people still have to learn things the hard way.

That seems to have been the case with a 17-year-old DeLeon Springs girl who threatened to shoot up T. Dewitt Taylor Middle-High School in Pierson right after watching one of his videos. The girl was arrested Wednesday after posting “Ima shoot up the school” on the Snapchat social media platform.

Read the full article here.