It has been determined that students who commit mass murder in educational institutions don’t just snap, but in fact spend considerable time planning the attack in great detail. Sometimes they leave notes detailing what they intend to do and giving reasons why they are waging a kind of war against people they have spent considerable time with. In a number of cases the motive is revenge for bullying or other forms of torment, but there may be other factors that are not clearly evident during the initial investigation. To do a proper analysis of school shootings, those commissioned to conduct an official inquiry must be prepared to examine every avenue and call witnesses who have direct evidence related to a mass violence incident, but also parents who have had to cope with children who were taunted in schools, not just by fellow classmates, but in some cases by teachers. This is mentioned only to get people to think outside the box while trying to develop strategies to combat these situations.

It should be noted the 489-page book avoids proposing recommendations or supporting any ideas that have been brought forward to curb violence in schools to allow for free-wheeling discussion without steering the conversation in any specific direction. Researchers have made it clear that no one has come up with a solution since schools shootings have not stopped. From a review of mass killings in schools, colleges and universities, it is clear the public needs to be aware of all factors, including what led up to the murder spree and the action taken by everyone involved as well as the results of government studies and other research into these horrific events. Only with complete knowledge can people make reasonable decisions and offer suggestions and solutions on how to prevent these murders from occurring.