Warning Signs
Your safety is of paramount importance. If you notice concerning behaviors, we want to know about them.
At the same time, we ask that you recognize that all of us are susceptible to unconscious biases. Attending to warning signs is about focusing strictly on concerning behaviors and not allowing unexamined biases and prejudices to enhance our fears and inappropriately implicate an individual based on their race, ethnicity, gender, religion and personal background.
Warning signs can manifest themselves in many forms: one-on-one settings, group interaction, public behavior, letters, emails, blogs, websites, social networking sites, photos, phone calls, text messages, etc. The following list of warning signs is not intended to be fully comprehensive.
What a Person Is Communicating
- Threatening Communication
- Expressed intent to harm someone
- Homicidal Fantasies
- Sending disturbing messages (i.e. texts, e-mails, letters) to students/staff/faculty.
- Coursework content that is alarming
- Making statements that supports the use of violence to resolve issues
What a Person Is Doing
- Anger problems
- Habitual pattern of violating campus policies or laws
- Disruptive behavior/irritability/abrasive towards another
- Alienates him/herself from others/family
- Unexplained absenteeism
- Increase in alcohol or drug use
- Changes in behavior (sudden or otherwise)
How a Person Is Doing
- Increasing stress, desperation, despair, humiliation, shame
- Preoccupation with felt insults
- Holds grudges
- Irrationally suspicious or bizarre beliefs
- Bizarre behavior
- Displays paranoia
- Change in appearance/declining hygiene
- Identifying with other persons who engaged in past violence toward others
- Stalking – fear-inducing behavior
Situations or Circumstances
- Negative or adversarial work/school relationships
- Conflicts with others
- Recent or likely loss of job/income/academic/relationship
- Social isolation
- Domestic or intimate partner violence
- Access to weapons – brings weapons to campus
If you recognize any of these warning signs, you are encouraged to notify someone immediately about your concerns.