A Prescription for Violence?

0 Comments | Insight on the News, May 21, 2001 | by Kelly Patricia O'Meara

The recent wave of school-shooting incidents has some concerned parents demanding that the medical records of students taking psychotropic drugs be made public.

In the last 10 shooting incidents at schools, a total of 105 students, teachers and administrators were killed or wounded. Beginning in March 1998 with the shooting at Westside Middle School in Jonesboro, Ark., and ending with the March 22, 2001, shootings at Granite Hills High School in El Cajon, Calif., six of the 12 juvenile shooters are reported to have been on prescribed mind-altering drugs.

San Diego Deputy Public Defender William Trainor announced last week that his client, 18-year-old Jason Hoffman, who is charged with the shooting of five students and teachers at Granite Hills High School, had been prescribed the antidepressants Celexa and Effexor. Whether Trainor intends to use this medical information as part of his client's defense is unclear, though he said that "the drugs [Hoffman] was prescribed may help explain his actions." He adds that research "indicates that the drugs that were prescribed are extremely powerful antidepressants with the most dangerous side effects."

School Violence and Prescription Drugs: A Connection?

Total number of killed and wounded: 105

Names & Ages        Michael Johnson, 13     Andrew Wurst,
of Perpetrators     Andrew Golden, 11       14

Place of Incident   Jonesboro, Ark.         Edinboro, Pa.

Drugs Involved      Johnson's attorney
                    cites confidentiality   Marijuana

Weapon Used         3 Rifles and            .25 Cal. Handgun
                    7 Handguns

Name of School      Westside Middle         Parker Middle School
                    School

Number Killed       4 Students and          1 Teacher
                    1 Teacher

Number Wounded      10 Students and         2 Students and
                    1 Teacher               1 Teacher

Date of Incident    March 24, 1998          April 24, 1998

Names & Ages        Jacob Davis,            Kip Kinkle,
of Perpetrators     18                      15


Place of Incident   Fayetteville, Tenn.     Springfield, Ore.

Drugs Involved      Not made public         Prozac and Ritalin

Weapon Used         .22 Cal. Rifle          .22 Cal. Rifle and
                                            2 Pistols

Name of School      Lincoln County High     Thurston High School
                    School

Number Killed       1 Student               2 Students and
                                            Shooter's Parents

Number Wounded      None                    22 Students

Date of Incident    May 19, 1998            May 21, 1998

Names & Ages        Quinshawn Booker,       Shawn Cooper,
of Perpetrators     14                      16

Place of Incident   Richmond, Va.           Notus, Idaho

Drugs Involved      Not made public         Ritalin

Weapon Used         .32 Cal. Pistol         12 Gauge
                                            Shotgun

Name of School      Armstrong High          Notus High
                    School                  School

Number Killed       None                    None

Number Wounded      1 Teacher and           1 student
                    1 Aide

Date of Incident    June 15, 1998           April 16, 1999

Names & Ages        Eric Harris, 18         Thomas Solomon
of Perpetrators     Dylan Klebold, 17       Jr., 15

Place of Incident   Littleton, Colo.        Conyers, Ga.

Drugs Involved      Harris -- Luvox
                    Klebold -- Unknown      Ritalin

Weapon Used         .9 mm Rifles            .22 Cal. Rifle,
                    Pipe Bombs              .357 Magnum

Name of School      Columbine               Heritage High
                    High School             School

Number Killed       12 Students             None
                    1 Teacher, 2 Shooters

Number Wounded      23 Students             6 students

Date of Incident    April 20, 1999          May 20, 1999

Names & Ages        Charles "Andy"          Jason Hoffman,
of Perpetrators     Williams, 15            18

Place of Incident   Santee, Calif.          El Cajon, Calif.

Drugs Involved      Not made public         Celexa/Effexor

Weapon Used         .22 Cal. Pistol         Shotgun

Name of School      Santana High            Granite Hills
                    School                  High School

Number Killed       None                    None

Number Wounded      6 students              3 Students and
                                            2 Teachers

Date of Incident    March 5, 2001           March 22, 2001

According to Loren Mosher, professor of psychiatry at the University of California at San Diego, "Celexa and Effexor are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors [SSRIs] in a class with Prozac, Paxil and Luvox" -- the same drug prescribed to Columbine shooter Eric Harris.

It appears Trainor believes there is a correlation between the drugs and the shootings. Although he could not provide specific information about his client, he tells Insight that this is a hot-button issue and there are many people who don't want to look at the connection. "If you say those drugs may be involved," says Trainor, "you'll be labeled a kook." But "with the history of these drugs there is a huge unpredictability factor. When someone goes off while on these drugs it should raise some eyebrows in the community. I'm starting to wonder when the public has the right to this information. What is the balance of rights? It's his medical records versus the public right to be safe. Which one has the trump card? It is a legitimate question."