Frank James, the Brooklyn subway shooter is the latest in a horrifying timeline of mass shooters. CCHR International calls on law enforcement and policymakers to do their research and expose the common link to violence and suicide that is exploding across the country.
By CCHR International
The Mental Health Industry Watchdog
April 20, 2022
Suspected subway terrorist Frank James strapped on his gas mask, detonated two smoke bombs, and then opened fire on his fellow passengers on the Brooklyn subway on the morning of April 12th, 2022. James, who earlier referred to himself as “The Prophet of Doom,” wounded 10 while 13 others sustained injuries from the mayhem.[1]
Fortunately, his shooting spree did not result in any deaths and James was apprehended on Wednesday the 13th.[2]
Frank James, it turns out, had been treated in psychiatric facilities for decades.[3]
In recent videos he posted on YouTube (which have since been removed), he complained that New York City’s mental-health services made his condition worse. “These are people that were supposed to be helping me. They made me worse,” Mr. James said. “They made me more dangerous than anybody could f—— imagine.”[4]
As such, it is essentially a 100% certainty that James had been on psychiatric, mind-altering medication in the past and may have been on such a prescription at the time of the shooting. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, “More than 99 percent of psychiatric hospitals, general hospitals with a separate psychiatric unit, and 94 percent of Veterans Affairs medical centers provided psychotropic medication therapy.”[5]
This shameful, brain disabling practice persists despite the fact that mind-altering drugs are a well-established cause of violence, mania, homicide, and suicide—a critical fact that is often overlooked by the media reporting these stories. One doesn’t need to look much further than the $6.58 billion pharmaceutical companies annually spend on advertising to understand the media’s self-imposed blindfold.[6]
Noted Harvard Medical School psychiatrist Dr. Joseph Glenmullen states the fact clearly: “The irritability and impulsivity (from antidepressants) can make people suicidal or homicidal.”[7]
And Patrick D. Hahn, affiliate professor of biology at Loyola University, makes the same point: “The link between antidepressants and violence, including suicide and homicide, is well established.”[8]
In fact, the evidence of the effects of these toxic chemicals is overwhelming. There are 409 official psychiatric drug warnings issued by regulatory agencies in the United States and around the world. Of those 409 official warnings, 49 of them warn of self-harm, suicide or suicidal ideation; 27 warn of violence, mania, psychosis, hostility, aggression or homicidal ideation; and 43 warn of death or increased risk of death.[9]
Regardless of whether James was taking such drugs, was in the throes of withdrawal from them, or is simply another example of failed psychiatric hospitalization and “therapy,” is it any surprise that Frank James said he felt like killing people after he was treated for mental-health issues?[10]
Sadly, James is the latest in a long and horrific timeline of mass shootings by those on psychiatric drugs or treatment:
- In October 2017, Steven Paddock shot and killed 58 people at a Las Vegas country music festival. Paddock had chemicals consistent with diazepam (Valium) in his system, the manufacture of which states that rage, aggression and irritability are among the drug’s side effects.[11]
- On November 5, 2017, 26-year-old Texas church shooter Devon Kelly shot and killed 26 people and injured20 more. Kelly had been taking psychiatric drugs from an early age. The Daily Mail reported that Kelly’s best friend said Kelly had been taking prescription medication for ADHD and later reported that during a visit with his friend, he found that Kelly was taking medication for aggression.[12]
Colorado has been the home to two of the worst drug fueled massacres:
- James Holmes, the infamous “Batman” shooter, murdered 12 people and injured dozens more in his rampage at a midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colorado in July of 2012. Holmes had been taking a generic form of Zoloft.[13]
- Eric Harris, the ringleader of the Columbine massacre in April of 1999 was on Luvox while he and partner Dylan Klebold murdered 12 students and one teacher at Columbine High School. Both had also been court-ordered to mandatory psychiatric anger management classes.[14]
From 2000 to 2012 there were at least 20 more mass shootings reported. The common denominator to these shootings was the fact that the shooter was on, or had been on, psychiatric drugs.
These ongoing, grief-wrenching school shootings—young people gunned down in cold blood by their fellow classmates—are a gruesome testament to the devastating effects of these drugs.
Professor David Healy, a psychiatrist, psychopharmacologist, and author of The Anti-depressant Era and several other books on psychiatric drugs, estimated in 2012 that 90 percent of school shootings, over more than a decade, were linked to SSRI antidepressants such Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft.[15]
“We’ve got good evidence that the drugs can make people violent…. What is very, very clear is that people do become hostile on these drugs,” stated Healy.[16]
David Kirschner, Ph.D, a New York psychologist says, “Most of the young murderers I have personally examined had… been in ‘treatment’ and were using prescribed stimulant/amphetamine type drugs before and during the killing events.”[17]
If Frank James is the “Prophet of Doom,” he had “help.” It is psychiatrists who prescribe these drugs to unsuspecting patients despite the incontrovertible evidence that they motivate violence, mania, homicide and suicide and, as such, are the true prophets and producers of doom…and death.
Unfortunately, New York had the opportunity to help curb such violence when, in March 2000, a New York Senate Bill was introduced—but did not pass—that would have required police agencies to report to the Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) on certain crimes and suicides committed by a person who was using psychotropic drugs. These crimes included assault, homicide, sex offenses, robbery offenses, firearms and other dangerous weapons offenses, kidnapping and arson. An annual report to the legislature and government would have identified the drugs involved.
If we are going to bring an end to this ongoing environment of senseless violence and death, such a law is necessary or law enforcement and policy makers must do their research and identify for themselves this hidden common link that is the root cause of the violence and suicide exploding across our country.
References:
[1] “‘Prophet of Doom’: Subway suspect left ranting video clues,” WEB News 24, 14 Apr. 2022, https://yourwebnews.com/2022/04/14/prophet-of-doom-subway-suspect-left-ranting-video-clues-3/; Deepa Shivaram, “Brooklyn subway shooting suspect Frank James makes his first court appearance,” NPR, 14 Apr. 2022, https://www.npr.org/2022/04/14/1092851922/brooklyn-subway-shooting-suspect-frank-james-court-appearance
[2] Ibid.
[3] Michael Kunzelman, Michael R. Sisak, Bernard Condon, “‘Prophet of Doom’: Subway suspect left ranting video clues,” Associated Press, 13 Apr. 2022, https://apnews.com/article/brooklyn-subway-shooting-business-health-new-york-city-mental-e47315d42b24527339812fa69263e0ba
[4] Ben Chapman, Joseph De Avila, Omar Abdel-Baqui, “Brooklyn Subway Shooting Suspect Frank James Arrested, in Custody,” The Wall Street Journal, 13 Apr. 2022, https://www.wsj.com/articles/brooklyn-shooting-latest-police-hunt-person-of-interest-as-busy-new-york-rush-hour-gets-under-way-11649844816?mod=Searchresults_pos5&page=1
[5] https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt29388/2019_NMHSS/2019_NMHSS.html
[6] Beth Snyder Bulik, “The top 10 ad spenders in Big Pharma for 2020,” Fierce Pharma, 19 Apr. 2021, https://www.fiercepharma.com/special-report/top-10-ad-spenders-big-pharma-for-2020
[7] “FDA Mulls Antidepressant Warnings,” Daily Press, 21 Mar. 2004
[8] Patrick D. Hahn, “Antidepressants: a deadly treatment?” Baltimore Sun, 11 Apr. 2015
[9] Psychiatric Drugs Create Violence & Suicide: School Shootings & Other Acts of Senseless Violence, CCHR International, https://www.cchrint.org/pdfs/violence-report.pdf
[10] Op. cit., The Wall Street Journal, 13 Apr. 2022
[11] Jeff German and Anita Hassan, “Las Vegas shooter’s autopsy gives no clues,” Las Vegas Review Journal, 9 Feb. 2018, https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/investigations/las-vegas-shooters-autopsy-gives-no-clues/; Paul Harasim, “Las Vegas Strip shooter prescribed anti-anxiety drug in June,” Las Vegas Review Journal, 3 Oct. 2017, https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/the-strip/las-vegas-strip-shooterprescribed-anti-anxiety-drug-in-june/; Scott Glover and Kyung Lah, “Exclusive: Vegas killer described his unusual habits in 2013 testimony,” CNN, 9 Oct. 2017, http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/09/us/las-vegas-stephen-paddock-deposition/index.html
[12] “Autopsy confirms Texas church gunman died by suicide,” Statesman, 29 June 2018, https://web.archive.org/web/20180629143124/https://www.statesman.com/news/autopsy-confirms-texas-church-gunman-died-suicide/6l7PhZAJ3ktpRRDBJRyp4O/
[13] Maria L. La Ganga, “What will Dr. Lynne Fenton say about her former patient James Holmes?” Los Angeles Times, 4 Jun 2015, https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-dr-lynne-fenton-james-holmes-20150603-story.html; “Timeline of Events Leading to James Holmes’ Guilty Verdicts,” San Diego Union Tribune, 16 Jul 2015, https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-theater-shooting-key-events-in-the-life-of-james-2015jul16-story.html
[14] Richard Restak, “The ‘inner child, the ‘true self’ and the wacky map of Eupsychia,” The Washington Times, 18 Aug. 2002, https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2002/aug/18/20020818-040825-5515r/; Joel Achenbach and Dale Russakoff, “Teen Shooter’s Life Paints Antisocial Portrait,” Washington Post, 29 Apr. 1999, https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/daily/april99/antisocial04299.htm
[15] “Psych meds linked to 90% of school shootings, WND, 18 Dec. 2012, http://www.wnd.com/2012/12/psych-meds-linked-to-90-of-school-shootings/#i1JviHwg3g2T7KSt.99
[16] Steve Mitchell, “Analysis: Anti-depressants tied to violence,” UPI, 11 Sept. 2006, https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2006/09/11/Analysis-Anti-depressants-tied-to-violence/85331158030000/
[17] “Mass Murderers and Psychiatric Drugs,” Behaviorism and Mental Health, 22 Sept. 2014, http://behaviorismandmentalhealth.com/2014/09/22/mass-murderers-and-psychiatric-drugs/