San Diego shooting shows disturbing trend of shooters copying acts of violence
Experts say hate-motivated extremists being radicalized online and adopting ideologies of shooters before them
TL;DR
- The San Diego mosque shooting is the latest instance of a trend where shooters are influenced by and copy acts of violence from previous attackers.
- The shooters were deeply entrenched in online extremist networks and expressed hatred for various groups, including Muslims, Jews, Black people, LGBTQ+ individuals, and women.
- Tactics used by the shooters, such as livestreaming their violence and writing on firearms, are common among those radicalized online.
- Experts observe a growing body of research indicating that recent high-profile shootings are committed by individuals heavily influenced by online spaces, where traditional political divides are often irrelevant.
- The FBI has warned of an increase in nihilistic violent extremism (NVE), defined as violence motivated by a hatred of society and a drive to cause its collapse through indiscriminate chaos.
- Many high-profile extremist shooters are not constrained by traditional political beliefs but adopt the ideology of other shooters, combining elements of fascism with a belief that extreme violent action is necessary.