U.S. report: ‘No profile’ of students likely to commit violence at school

CHARDON, Ohio - A U.S. Secret Service report dispels stereotypes about students who are likely to commit school violence.

The 2002 Safe School Initiative report concluded there is no “profile” of students who target their schools for violent attacks. The report said 63 percent of student attackers come from two-parent families.

It also said 63 percent “had never been” or were “rarely in trouble” at school before their attacks. The report also found 41 percent of student attackers were involved in social activities, including sports teams and school clubs.

The report found 41 percent of students were receiving As or Bs in their classes at the time of their attacks.

“There is no quick checklist to identify school shooters,” said Ken Trump, a national school safety consultant, based in Ohio.

Trump said changes in behavior over time, including gradually becoming quieter or depressed, are more likely to indicate a student is considering committing violence.

"We want to look at their appearance or something that's easily identified and really it comes down to knowing your kids. The first and best line of defense is a highly trained and alert student, staff and body,” he said.

According to the report, the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Education initiated the Safe School Initiative in 1999 after the Columbine High School shootings.

The report said government officials studied 37 incidents of targeted school violence and 41 attackers.

The most recent high profile school shooting occurred Feb. 27 at Chardon High School in Chardon, Ohio.

TJ Lane, 17, is charged with three counts of aggravated murder, two counts of attempted aggravated murder and one count of felonious assault.

ChardonHigh Schoolstudents have described Lane as quiet, shy and unpopular. Students also said Lane was often bullied at school.