At NC State, all employees and students are responsible for recognizing and referring concerning behavior involving current, former or prospective students, employees or campus visitors.
Inappropriate or unusual behavior can sometimes come before an act of violence. Research from the U.S. Secret Service, Department of Homeland Security and other national experts show that early warning signs often appear, giving the university a chance to intervene.
Threat assessment looks at the full context of a situation, including personal history, grievances, motives and actions. While there is no single profile of a potential threat, some behaviors may indicate increased risk and should be taken seriously.
Common Concerning Behaviors
No single behavior means someone will engage in violent behavior towards themselves or others but it may indicate they may be on that pathway. The earlier the behaviors are identified, the more options are available to assist the individual with resources.
Concerning behaviors may include:
Threats or Violence
- Hurting others or animals, or showing aggressive behavior.
- Making direct or indirect threats to harm someone.
- Explosive anger, fights or ongoing conflict with others.
- A history of violent or controlling behavior.
Emotional or Behavioral Changes
- Talking about wanting to die, feeling hopeless or making end-of-life plans.
- Struggling to handle stress, loss, failure or criticism.
- Big changes in mood, appearance or behavior that seem unusual.
- Pulling away from friends, family or activities they used to enjoy.
- Drop in grades or work performance.
- Unwillingness to comply with rules or policies.
- Stalking, harassing or bullying.
- Behaviors that are impulsive, unpredictable or make others feel unsafe.
- Misusing alcohol or drugs, especially with other concerning behaviors.
Obsessive or Extreme Focus
- Admiring violent people or extremist groups.
- Talking about violence as the “only way” to solve problems.
- Strong interest in weapons or past attackers. Note that firearms are not permissible on campus. Please refer to NC State’s firearm policy for campus guidelines.
- Obsessive or troubling interest in obtaining weapons, tactical gear and/or military paraphernalia
- Fixating on a person, group, or cause in a concerning way.
Planning or Preparing for Violence
- Looking up, planning or practicing for an attack.
- Testing or asking questions about campus security.
- Making violent jokes, threats or fantasies about hurting themselves or others.
- Creating notes, videos or documents that explain or take credit for possible violence.
Observable Physical Behaviors
It may be a challenge to determine what a stranger’s intent is due to a lack of familiarity. It will be important to recognize some of the physical indicators of aggression and to determine the possibility that the individual is potentially hostile and/or a threat. Some examples may include:
- Acting argumentative or refusing to cooperate.
- Clenching jaw or making tight fists.
- Pacing around, restless or agitated.
- Shaking or trembling noticeably.
- Dressing or acting in a way that seems very unusual for the situation.
- Getting too close or invading someone’s personal space.
- Threatening to hurt themselves or others.
- Showing or threatening to use a weapon.
Risk Factors / Stressors
Risk factors are existing realities about the individual that may increase the risk of violence they pose in a given situation.
Stressors can be anything in a person’s life that causes tension, anxiety, discomfort or distress. Stressors can amplify existing social/environmental risk factors and/or produce/magnify grievances. Examples of stressors include but are not limited to:
- Employment actions (termination, promotion, demotion, etc.).
- Substance use/abuse.
- Relationship break up or divorce.
- Illness or death of a family member or friend.
- Financial problems.
- Change in life circumstance (graduation, retirement, having a baby, getting married, etc.)
- Legal problems.
- Conflict with peers, work colleagues or managers.