While the U.S. Secret Service may be best known for protecting government officials, its latest mission involves investigating workplace violence. And in a nation where this type of violence is commonplace, a new report from the agency hopes to help prevent future incidents
‘Examining 50 incidents of mass violence’
The report, “Preventing Targeted Workplace Violence,” attempts to identify patterns or similar behaviors among perpetrators of workplace attacks. It begins by “examining 50 incidents of mass violence” in which “128 people were injured and 119 were killed,” the report said. Nearly all of the perpetrators, 47 out of the 50, experienced “noteworthy life stressors within five years of their attack,” including personal problems, financial hardships and employment-related issues.
Many of the perpetrators had a criminal history. Among the 16 employees who were actively employed at the place they attacked, over 40% of them had a “history of domestic violence,” and when including all 50 of the studied attacks, that “number goes up to 53%,” Lina Alathari, the head of the Secret Service’s National Threat Assessment Center, told ABC News. Many of the attackers also had prior criminal charges, including some who “engaged in violence directed at romantic partners or relatives, prompting victims to seek protective orders or restraining orders,” the report said.
‘Thinking, behavior and circumstances of workplace attackers’
The ultimate goal of this initiative is to “look at how can we prevent targeted workplace violence,” Alathari said to NBC News. “What is the thinking, behavior and circumstances of workplace attackers?” Many workplaces can identify warning signs early and potentially stop a tragedy while also taking additional steps. This includes “empowering those who may be experiencing stalking, harassing, threats from romantic partners or other relatives to feel connected enough to come forward and ask for help.”
The best thing employers can do is not ignore these signs. Do “not wait until a direct threat is made,” former Secret Service agent Michael Matranga said to NewsNation. This doesn’t mean “questioning workers about their private lives” but rather working with HR departments to “build behavioral security into their policies.” If employers “don’t have a healthy workforce, then you end up with these particular types of tragic events.”
A new report shows that many perpetrators have things in common
