Katia Riddle

I talked to the executive director at this organization. Her name is Jillian Peterson. She said she was quite surprised when she found out the shooter at the school in Wisconsin was a girl. Across the board, she says troubled males are just more likely to perpetuate something like this.

I talked to the executive director at this organization. Her name is Jillian Peterson. She said she was quite surprised when she found out the shooter at the school in Wisconsin was a girl. Across the board, she says troubled males are just more likely to perpetuate something like this.

I talked to the executive director at this organization. Her name is Jillian Peterson. She said she was quite surprised when she found out the shooter at the school in Wisconsin was a girl. Across the board, she says troubled males are just more likely to perpetuate something like this.

That's right. You know, Peterson points out that the age of the shooter, 15, is typical for this profile. That's a sensitive time in adolescence where executive function is not very well developed for girls or boys. Obviously, there's a lot we still don't know about the situation, and it's captured the public's attention.

That's right. You know, Peterson points out that the age of the shooter, 15, is typical for this profile. That's a sensitive time in adolescence where executive function is not very well developed for girls or boys. Obviously, there's a lot we still don't know about the situation, and it's captured the public's attention.

That's right. You know, Peterson points out that the age of the shooter, 15, is typical for this profile. That's a sensitive time in adolescence where executive function is not very well developed for girls or boys. Obviously, there's a lot we still don't know about the situation, and it's captured the public's attention.

But Peterson says it will be important in the coming days and weeks to ask the same questions that we would of any school shooting.

But Peterson says it will be important in the coming days and weeks to ask the same questions that we would of any school shooting.

But Peterson says it will be important in the coming days and weeks to ask the same questions that we would of any school shooting.

You know, there are patterns of behavior around mass shootings. Often in retrospect, when a tragedy like this happens, those might seem obvious and people question why they were missed. But the vast majority of troubled adolescents don't commit mass shootings.

You know, there are patterns of behavior around mass shootings. Often in retrospect, when a tragedy like this happens, those might seem obvious and people question why they were missed. But the vast majority of troubled adolescents don't commit mass shootings.

You know, there are patterns of behavior around mass shootings. Often in retrospect, when a tragedy like this happens, those might seem obvious and people question why they were missed. But the vast majority of troubled adolescents don't commit mass shootings.

Prevention strategies around individuals are certainly important, especially given they can often overlap with suicide prevention strategies. But some experts say it's dangerous to become too attached to any one narrative about who commits these kinds of acts. Another expert I talked to is Jonathan Metzl. He studies gun violence at Vanderbilt University.

Prevention strategies around individuals are certainly important, especially given they can often overlap with suicide prevention strategies. But some experts say it's dangerous to become too attached to any one narrative about who commits these kinds of acts. Another expert I talked to is Jonathan Metzl. He studies gun violence at Vanderbilt University.

Prevention strategies around individuals are certainly important, especially given they can often overlap with suicide prevention strategies. But some experts say it's dangerous to become too attached to any one narrative about who commits these kinds of acts. Another expert I talked to is Jonathan Metzl. He studies gun violence at Vanderbilt University.

He said the shooter's gender is not the most salient fact in this circumstance.

He said the shooter's gender is not the most salient fact in this circumstance.

He said the shooter's gender is not the most salient fact in this circumstance.

Over 30,000 children go to a school that's been affected by gun violence this year. That's according to the Washington Post database called School Shooting Tracker. Experts say given the breadth of this epidemic, our preconceived narratives are just not always going to be accurate.

Over 30,000 children go to a school that's been affected by gun violence this year. That's according to the Washington Post database called School Shooting Tracker. Experts say given the breadth of this epidemic, our preconceived narratives are just not always going to be accurate.