Signs May Be Evident in Hindsight, but Predicting Violent Behavior Is Tough - Denise Grady
In hindsight, it may seem clear that Aaron Alexis, who went on a shooting rampage at the Washington Navy Yard on Monday, posed a threat long before the attack, but most mental health experts say that barring the rare few who declare their intentions, it can be extremely difficult to pick out people who are likely to commit murder. Rachel Yehuda, MD, a Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, and Director of the Traumatic Stress Studies Division at The Mount Sinai Medical Center, said that tragedies might be averted if the police could immediately call in a mental health team when they encountered people like Mr. Alexis who claim to be hearing voices. "Wouldn't it be great if there was a local outreach team that the police could call?" Dr. Yehuda said.
-Dr. Rachel Yehuda, Professor, Psychiatry, Neuroscience, Director, Traumatic Stress Studies Division, The Mount Sinai Medical Center
Learn more
Mount Sinai Launches Institute for Regenerative Medicine
Apr 24, 2023 View All Press Releases
