Agreed. This is an extremely fortunate case where the potential threat displayed signs of something which could have been very, very bad. Sadly, in many other circumstances, there were no signs of what was to come which resulted in, well, we all know what the end results were. Glad to hear this guy was caught before he was able to cause any harm to anyone, including himself. And good for the kids who made the right move by reporting him. We all need to work together these days to ensure the safety of everyone around us. We need to be able to count on one another to have each other's backs, even if it's that of a complete stranger. Unfortunately, you can never be too careful these days.

Who are you ron? Why would you make these rude comments to people stating their opinions? Do you need help?

I think that beyond gun control and mental health issues, there is a serious issue about kids growing up with no consequences for their actions. Kids these days grow up doing whatever they want, whenever they want to do it and if someone doesn't like it, it doesn't matter because there are no consequences. And before anyone gets all butt hurt about my assessment, I know this doesn't apply to ALL children, but it sure does apply to the majority of them.

This is what needs to happen, for people who do recognize the potential for someone they know to commit an act of violence and speak up before it's too late.

There are always signs. Sometimes the friends and family don't understand the signs or don't want to believe that a person they know could act out violently.

I hope the kid doesn't try to retaliate against those who spoke out. It was done for his own good, not as a way to punish him.

...so, it was a credible threat that never threatened the students?.......wrong wrong wrong. No arrest, yet detained and stopped, wrong wrong wrong. Someone has overstepped the bounds here and it's not the kid....

Yes, we can see where this is going. While I agree we need to take these issues seriously, this could evolve into locking people away for nothing more than "acting suspiciously". How long then before a group of kids turns in someone they just don't like, but is different enough that everyone will believe them. And I don't think this is so far-fetched, if we're not careful.

I hope doctors are able to pinpoint a problem, one that is correctable what ever it is. I hope they are able to tell the rest of us if we to or our children might be at risk if a medication is causing the problem. It just seems there are too many medications being prescribed to people that have side effects that are worse then the disorder.

My hope is that the diagnosis adjudging him is accurate, and that he gets the help he needs.

My fear is that people who are merely eccentric, loners and non-dangerous mental conditions will increasing be targeted as "creditable threats".

coravens fan,

Mental illness has nothing to do with children who are not raised to accept responsibility. Mental illness is a disease of the brain that is not influenced by environment or parenting skills. While I would agree that many kids today have been raised without any sense of responsibility or civility, being a spoiled brat doesn't usually turn a kid into a mass killer. That is another situation altogether.

I agree that another tragedy needs to be stopped, mostly because the parents seemed to be in agreement with the decision. Probably because it's almost impossible to get help for people with mental disorders. This is so sad really is it going to come down to children being jerked out of classrooms by local police, handcuffed, put in the backseat of cop cars and taken to a hospital where the family has "no" contact until the evaluation is done? Really? How traumatic is that? Then when returned to school is now looked upon as a threat? Come on people! Where are our hearts? Oh yes, my heart cries out for help so this tragedy in Conn. never happens again, but in a nation that "can do" anything we can't do better that this? These are our children, our family members. We are the people who walked on the moon, open our doors to the suffering of the world and we can't find a real way to help our children and family members better than this? Mental Health Care has to rise to the top of this, help has to became available, has to.......

Let the witch hunts begin. My fear too dman.

Staying alert is great, more power to the students, teachers, counselors, and families, but there's gonna be a lot of damage done to shy kids and outsiders (and there are a LOT of those in the teen years in general...) because of American hysteria.

I recall reading that when Russia was pressured to not have so many "Political Prisoners" they simply started holding people for "Mental Health"... because you had to be crazy to disagree with communism!

I am in agreement with some of the posts here in that this could turn into a witch hunt. While I agree that we should all be aware of the actions of those around us, just because someone is shy or a loner that doesn't necessarily make them a Mass murderer.

I'll hold my opinion of this young man till I find out WHAT they actually determined was their "Evidence" in having him taking away for "evaluation".

I raised a child with MH issues--who is stable, not on meds, and successfully self-employed as an adult in his mid-20's. "Bad years" came and went from age 7 to age 18. During a growing crisis in middle school (had a mind-blowingly bad teacher that year) he was saying he would kill her or kill himself, took him for emergency assessment (outpatient psychiatrist was no help, outpatient psychologist adv going to the hosp)--hosp recommended admission for observation but no available beds for the next few days. So I decided to keep him home. He was not physically violent but I was not going to risk the backlash if he even expressed the words at school, not too mention he was himself having a really, really hard time. The school's response?--get his butt to class or he would be considered truant and a referral to CPS/juvenile court would ensue. It took a battle even to get them to allow him to spend the day in a special ed classroom. This sort of pattern--disregarding the mental health facts and coming down with the authority threats--including the occasional juvenile court charge (for disorderly conduct if he went to school when he was not well, truancy if he did not go to school when he was not well--continued through much of his public school involvement). I am glad this guy is getting help without that sickening dimension that makes everything worse. I hope (but do not assume) schools are getting a little better at this.

"evidence", Janine, is not exactly like legal evidence. It is based on the judgment of the medical and other professionals who assess the person--they are the ones who can institute an emergency hold. Usually state law requires the medical provider to then inform the court, since a legal hearing has to be scheduled within 72 to 96 hours (depending on state laws) to order a longer stay (typically 14 days; long term commitment would be done, if need be, at a future time). If the person is a minor and parents agree to hospitalization they don't even have to do that.

I can certainly see the wariness regarding mental health commitment (and know from experience that quality of MH professionals is all over the map, just like any profession). Early on, I hoped the clouds would part and the birds would sing when I got my son help. Not hardly, and some MH providers were (in fact) abusive themselves. But it is a matter of weighing the evils. I would rather have my kid hospitalized for 72 hours than sucked into juvenile or potentially adult court system for months.

Yeah, I will admit...I'm pretty paranoid. I just caught one of my students making out a Christmas card thats saying "killing is fun". We called parents immediately and the mother acted like it was nothing. Now the kid is only 8 years old. But in light of the situation, you would think that the mother would be more adamant about it. But no. Which makes me think something is wrong at home....

I'm taking things seriously for the sake of my students as well as my family. You have to be extra pre-cautious. Otherwise, it could mean the lives of so many people. You don't want anybody getting hurt.

You can only 'Nip it in the bud' or 'Spill some blood'! What other action can be offered? If he remains pissed: Put the 'Mad Dog Down' & maybe the other '20 Mile Stare' Phuque's will 'Get The Hint'!!

Demerol-

How do you know that this person will come out angrier than when they went in? How do you know that they will not get the help that they need and come out a better person? You don't know. Is it your suggestion that nothing be tried to help this person? You have an odd way of looking at things. Have you spoken to someone about that?

Or just do nothing Demerol?? Thats what the problem is. These mentally ill kids need help and if they are unable to change and are a threat guess what? One Flew over the Cookoos nest fer you.

No. NOW he can get the help he needs and a tragedy can possible be averted. What's your solution? Turn your head and look the other way???? Have his life possibly ruined or ended after he kills other innocent victims?

I can see the writing on the wall: Joe doesn't like Johnny because he stole his girl friend therefore Joe reported Johnny to "proper authorities" for "something".

Identification of someone with mental issues/problems should be done by a family member.

Human-

How do you know that this person will come out angrier than when they went in? How do you know that they will not get the help that they need and come out a better person?

How do you re-habilitate someone who was never habilitated to begin with?

Everything is relative. The "crazy" don't know they are "crazy". Even when told still refuse to admit it, and stop taking their meds. Sometimes you can't fix crazy, so locking them might end up being necessary if violent traits are identified.

I do hope they really did have a definite reason to commit him. Too often people are committed for reasons other than actually having a mental illness or requiring therapy. Hospitalization really can do more harm than good when they force treatments on people not right for them, and then use their reluctance to be there and be subjected to that treatment as "evidence of their illness."

I really hope they didn't do the student a grave injustice because people are paranoid right now.

Often times the family is in denial until an outside group in this case the school sheds some light on the extent of someone's behavior. While some think this was the wrong approach, these officials should be applauded for taking reasonable steps by first investigating and searching the students locker.

It's not like SWAT showed up and put this students house under siege. This reasonable action may well of averted a tragedy. The fact the family was spoken too and participated, shows a sound system works. The question will be now if the physicians, hospital and insurance companies follow due diligence and not just throw some meds at this kid without a long term care plan.

LiitleI56: The question will be now if the physicians, hospital and insurance companies follow due diligence and not just throw some meds at this kid without a long term care plan."

I agree with your comment; realistically, though, there is a huge gap in what is available for these kids - mostly adolescent boys or young men. We need some of those homes for the mentally ill, half-way houses, and group homes, where these people and their meds can be monitored. Families can't take care of them and oftentimes don't know what to do. It is society's responsibility to not let dangerously mental people among society. Putting them in prison or burying them the same week as their victims has not and will not solve this problem.

I really hope this country does not go on a witch hunt scrutinizing every socially awkward kid or those kids that just happen to be loners. So far according to this story the only thing they found was charts and graphs and other kids at school claiming he was weird and made them feel uncomfortable. What if they are wrong and the kid is fine? Now he has to go back to the school embarrassed, amongst all the rumors that have been flying around and if you think he was loner then, I can only imagine it will get worse. Look how many on this vine are already thanking god that they caught this kid before he did something crazy and we don't even know if he is crazy. I just feel the situation should have been kept more quiet until they had more hard evidence instead of letting this story leak to the press.

More insane asylums would be a good start. Too many that walk among us.

Enabling & in denial! Mommy Dearest wasn't even supposed to have any GUNS in the SAME HOUSE with a NUT JOB!! As far as I'm concerned: she or any other relative is partially RESPONSABLE for this bloodshed!!!

The problem is that Adam was an adult and the mental health care laws in this country make it nearly impossible to commit an adult against their will unless they harm someone or themselves.

And yet it does happen, to people who don't need to be committed in the first place even. I do think it should be easier to get the care a person needs, however, it has been too easy for a person to be "treated" for something they don't have, and when the side effects of the "treatment" make them worse, it's used to keep them in their longer. People get abused in mental hospitals...sending someone to one as they currently are is risking hurting them more than helping them.

S - Mother was going to commit him. If someone is very dangerous, it can be done! However, he probably should have been committed long before now. Also, one shouldn't discuss committing someone who is mentally deranged - just do it! They are not capable of rational thinking. Family has ultimate responsibility to keep their own kids safe and keep their own kids from harming others - no matter what the circumstances.

This mother, in my opinion, enabled and truly made her son become a killer to harm her and all these beautiful little children and their teachers.

Payton Blake, your thinking while having good intentions is how we got into this mess. We need to have a balanced approach. Hospitals and doctors monitored. But they cannot be handcuffed and constantly harassed by advocacy groups to the point that they don't try and fight for the betterment of the patient.

Some people can not be mainstreamed. The mother of Adam tried and than when it was obvious he could not cope in society, nobody at the school took the steps this school in this article did. It was not PC to tell the mother to either voluntarily bring him in for evaluation or he would be forced to be evaluated. He had sever issues clear back when he was in middle school. It was not a secret this young man had issues, sever issues. The mother did what a mother will do, they try and protect their children and raise them.

Society enabled her to shield her son from scrutiny. He had some level of function as he was able to get a driver's license. The problem was we don't know what happened behind closed doors outside of the public view. It does appear the mother knew she had run out of options. Too bad she could not of called someone and had him brought in immediately for a 72 hour observation period. Instead she had to petition the courts...

It depends upon the state and community where an individual is living. In this case it sounds like they live in a proactive caring community. But far too many would just give him a get out of free card and ask for followup treatment. But not take followup action if he failed to stay in treatment. Too easy to fall through the cracks. This may well be gin to change. Time will tell.

Because there has been no Federal funding for mental healthcare, since it was eliminated during the Reagan administration, here's what is done with them in Right to Work states, like the one I live in.

They are placed in the nearest hospital's adult Mental Healthcare Unit. They are kept there for a week or two,until the medication makes them docile, they are given a half a bottle of pills and a prescription they have no money to fill, then they are pushed out the door at the end of the business day on Friday, so it is two days and three nights before the offices of any group or organizations that might provide some aid to the indigent, are open.

I would have just let her stay at my place when she borrowed some stranger's cell phone to call me, crying, but the last time I did that, she plotted to cut my head of in my sleep, with my own machete. So I took her to Walgreens and filled her prescription and rented her a motel room.

wrong. The kid is getting help. There is not need to kill him.

@ David White

Idiot.

You would have done well in Nazi Germany.

It wasn't just the students word. Apparantly what was found in the kids locker was enough to put him in for observation. Eff his reputation.

Reputation means nothing when you are looking at someone who is displaying signs of having issues. The health and well being of a person, as well as those around them, is more important than someone's reputation. And as Here2Opine stated, authorities came in to check his locker and found evidence that pointed to the kid planning to do harm to others since they found charts, diagrams and a list of names. Now if the authorities had come in and found nothing, they could still hold the kid in for psych evaluation to be on the safe side (as it is protocol with law enforcement to have people evaluated when called out to such situations regardless of age), but otherwise the kid would be let go.

I hope they follow up on this. It's an interesting case.

ro belin...."their stupid teacher's lives"? Really? Crazy is everywhere, isn't it

ron - You need some serious help.

Bazinga!

What are you talking about? I didn't say anything about the "dead" mother.... I'm refering to the 12 year old I mentioned in my comment smart a$$!

oops - ron is crazy nuts!

In answer to what do you do? I would let police know what is going on in that house. Similar situation - giving a mentally disturbed child access to guns.

Thanks Allpeople ~ good suggestion. Yes, I see Ron is a nut job. Was reading some of the other posts this idiot commented on. ~Wow, nice life. :)

Yup, he must be on a "watch list" somewhere - I hope!

Good luck with your situation, oops!

You could possibly try a call to social services. Don't know what result would be but might hit the parents with a dose of reality. I say that as someone who doesn't even LIKE social services!

ron - What is wrong with you? Perhaps someone needs to commit you for evaluation? You can do it yourself, you know. I would highly recommend it. Your posts make no sense at all.

Acerbic - it appears you did not read the entire article.

Well, the article says the police found written material in his locker that caused them to believe he was, or could have become, a threat to those around him.

I agree that taking someone into custody before any criminal act has taken place is a dicey proposition. Mental health isses are often subtle and cannot always be clearly identified to the point where the psychiatrist can say: this one is a danger to himself and society.

In the days the Constitution was framed, there were insane asylums, and the mentally ill were put there to keep them away from the rest of society. I'm sure the framers of the Constitution never imagined that the obviously mentally ill would walk freely among society. The Bill of Rights was, I'm reasonably certain, written with the sane in mind. That said, it's going to be very difficult to keep this kid in the hospital any longer than the current laws allow (72 hours in most places) unless the psychiatrist can offer an opinion or a diagnosis beyond a reasonable doubt, and is willing and able to stand up in court to defend the diagnosis. Regrettably, I don't think mental health care is there yet.

"Normal" is subjective but when "normal" starts to veer towards potentially dangerous then sorry about your feelings but better safe than sorry. I'm tired of finding out about all these red flags that weren't reported beforehand because somebody was afraid that it violated the shooter's privacy. Ridiculous. We've already established that those with mental health issues don't enjoy the same liberties under the 2nd amendment that others do, so let's start enforcing it. Being politically correct has brought us to a point where everybody is so special and we can't dare hurt anyone else's feelings. People are brought up in a fantasy world without consequences where there are no winners and losers. When real life hits them and nobody is able to hold their hand to bring them to the outcome they desire, they have no coping mechanisms. This was an instance of somebody actually reporting the red flags beforehand. Lo and behold, they discovered evidence that something very bad was potentially in the works and nipped it in the bud. And it was a number of people that came forward. It's not like it was as simple as "I think that person's crazy" and they whisked him off to jail without any hesitation or reason.

So, with all that you said, what is your point?

Is it that when there are threats and some kid is not dealing well socially and the threat may proceed to reality, we should just ignore it? I think we have seen that ignoring people with severe mental problems is not the answer.

20 innocent children being massacred, along with 6 of the teachers and staff, is not over reaction. These mass killings must stop - somehow! Perhaps you can assist looking for answers rather than throwing your hands in the air and blithering!

So glad someone else said it. This article is just promoting witch hunt mentality. Children get problems recognized at school all the time because they spend a huge part of their day there. Reporting every time some kid needs an evaluation is just irresponsible to everyone.

Witch trials indeed. I was nearly a victim of this same sort of thing after Columbine, for being shy and anxious. Committing me, when I didn't need it, would have destroyed me.

I don't take the explanation of the evidence in the locker as "proof" given the description. It wouldn't be the first time people (even cops) have manipulated the situation to see what they want to see in another. Instead of actually helping the young man, it's possible they're setting him up for more problems in the future.

I don't think sending someone to a mental hospital should be taken so lightly given the abuses that can occur there.

When in doubt, evaluations can't hurt. Good mental health people are not going to send healthy people to a psychiatric hospital.

And yet they did that before an evaluation. They committed him to be evaluated, rather than the other way around.

And evaluations can hurt, when the people doing them are corrupt, or the reasons for giving them are poor reasons. If you have a case where someone is being picked on, sending them for an evaluation based upon accusations from those who pick on then will do more harm than good.

I'm not saying that is the case here, but I am saying it does happen and we should not be so quick to herd "different" children into institutions.

One student is committed for evaluation - that is usually 72 hours unless further information is needed. I haven't heard that kids are being "herded" in. The truth is that kids suffering even from extreme bullying, etc., may just get the help they need too. They may be let out, but find someone who can really assist. We need to help these young people sooner rather than later. This kid has made threats, so his mental health needs to be "evaluated". These kids have parents - these kids can be helped before the crisis gets worse.

Of course, I don't want kids "herded in" either. However, in some instances it may be that the parenting of these troubled kids needs to be evaluated. Too often, these kids are left to "fend for themselves" in environments which are not helping them. The mental health people can find that out too!

I have two friends who are psycho-therapists who had problem people they were working with. In each instance, they were able to get them in on the 72 hour holds for evaluation. But, when the person is an adult, that's all they can get - 72 hour holds. Both patients were released after 72 hours and both got out and then went out and killed family members. Most mental health experts are not trying to hold people who do not need to be held.

Also, mental health is not in the dark ages anymore. Much has been learned and the majority of mental health experts are highly educated and well informed regarding caring for people - not harming them. No longer can someone just commit someone for no reason. Evaluations have a deadline. No one is held for an indefinite period of time just for evaluation.

Evaluation means are they a danger to themselves or to anyone else. As in the cases above mentioned, the psychiatric hospital determined they were not a danger and let them out. Wrong decision! But, they will more often lean toward believing the patient than the other way around.

Oh but you're wrong, mental health is still in the dark ages. People are still being abused in mental hospitals, people are still being force fed medications that make them worse. People are still being told that their fear of their abusers is proof that they are mentally ill.

People ARE held against their will past this supposed "deadline" when others make up reasons to do so.

Again, I was nearly subjected to this treatment just for being shy and anxious. I cried easily when stressed, I was bullied, but I NEVER showed any signs of being a danger to myself or others. I NEVER threatened anyone else, I NEVER acted violent towards everyone else, but people assumed that because I was not as outgoing as others, that I must be dangerous, for being different. I was embarrassed by teachers and counselors who treated me like a time bomb. Imagine what being sent to a mental hospital would have done? It would have placed a stigma on me, it would have given the students even more of a reason to pick on me. It would have given other people a reason to discount my feelings and fears because "oh don't mind her, she's was in an institution, she's not right."

No, these aren't baseless fears either, I watched it happen to others, to family members too. It was only because I had a mother who understood, and who didn't cave in to the pressures of the school that I was not subjected to those horrors that would not have helped me one bit. It was only because I had adults in my life (not the teachers) who actually LISTENED to me, rather than what others assumed about me, that I escaped a worse fate.

Now I am doing perfectly fine, I still have anxiety but I am still happy with my life (as I have always been) and happy with my job. For the most part I don't care about everything else that happened, until I see things like this where there are suggestions that we should put children into an environment that will do irreparable harm to them because the system that puts them there is corrupt. Oh they try to put a pretty face on it, but if you actually go speak to people who have been subjected to it, you may find a very different story.

The student in this story also did NOT make any threats. Did he need counseling? Maybe, did he need to be swept away into an highly likely uncaring system that will place a stigma on him and likely won't do what's best for him? Probably not.

I like it. My local Walmart will lose half it's shoppers!

And yet they did that before an evaluation. They committed him to be evaluated, rather than the other way around.

He was proven to have documented evidence of plans that supported him being a danger to himself and others. That is the primary criterion for involuntary committment. The evaluation process is for diagnosis and treatment planning. The threat to safety and potential for violence had already been documented.

And evaluations can hurt, when the people doing them are corrupt, or the reasons for giving them are poor reasons. If you have a case where someone is being picked on, sending them for an evaluation based upon accusations from those who pick on then will do more harm than good.

If there is documented evidence that someone is a high risk for violence toward themselves or others, it is hardly a poor reason for doing the evaluation. And evaluations are not harmful. No one is ever involuntarily committed because "someone said". In order to have someone involuntarily committed for psychiatric evaluation, specific procedures have to be followed and specific criteria have to be met.

I'm not saying that is the case here, but I am saying it does happen and we should not be so quick to herd "different" children into institutions.

I have yet to see a case such as that happening. Nor are children being "herded" into different institutions.

Oh but you're wrong, mental health is still in the dark ages. People are still being abused in mental hospitals, people are still being force fed medications that make them worse. People are still being told that their fear of their abusers is proof that they are mentally ill.

People ARE held against their will past this supposed "deadline" when others make up reasons to do so.

Payton, these are blatant lies. As for the remainder of your post, no one is ever held on a pink slip because they are "shy" and "anxious". I suggest you are either in denial about the severity of your problems, or you are making this stuff up, one of the two.