By Rachel Hankinson — Bang! Bang! Terror is on the face of everyone on the scene and no one knows what exactly is going on. There are screams and more sounds of not so far off gunshots.

“Rampage violence”, the term used for shootings such as Sandy Hook, Columbine, Virginia Tech and others, has become a part of the nation’s conscious. The media focuses a lot of their time on covering these events. But for what? To induce panic? To prove a point?

My main concern with everyone freaking out about shootings is that the most frequent comment I hear directed towards the whole ordeal is “How could this happen?” and “I do not understand.” Well chances are that the person who committed this crime does not fully understand him or herself. There is obviously something mentally disturbed within that person. It is not as if they walked in with a gun or whatever other weapons and said “Ha ha got you!”

Journal of Police and Criminal stated that even psychologists have a tough time disecting murderers and that their motives or reasoning vary. However, they say that certain components to their actions almost always appear such as chronic depression and mood disorders.

What really sickens me is when people call the attacker terrible names or condemns them to rather unpleasant places. Yes, because there is something wrong with them they deserve to go to hell. That seems logical enough.

But then the media only perpetuates acts like this. Not only that, but the story will get beaten to death for at least a week. Giving so much attention to these cases will only encourage others who feel so low to get their fifteen minutes of fame in, even if they commit suicide at the end.

The Journal of American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law affirmed that the shooter often feels he has been immensely mistreated and plans to send a message through his assault through the media. These people do not expect to come out of their situations alive.

Shooters should not be victimized. A certain amount of understanding needs to be shown for their actions. Nor is it right for the media to consciously air these occurrences as it only helps stimulate the situation.

[Updated Aug. 7, 2017: This article has been reformatted for consistency.]