Alabama Shooting Leaves 3 Dead. Former FBI Agent and Security Consultant Says the Deadly Trend is Growing.

    OVERLAND PARK, KS, February 15, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- A little more than a month ago, Michael Tabman, 24-year FBI veteran and former police officer, commented on a deadly workplace shooting in St. Louis. Now the same tragedy has occurred at the University of Alabama-Huntsville campus. Unfortunately, this is not the first time Alabama has experienced such violence. A week ago, a 14 year old was shot by a schoolmate. In March 2009, a workplace violence shooting took ten lives. In 2002, six lives were lost to a domestic violence shooting.

While this most current shooting occurred in a university setting, it was another disturbing workplace violence incident. Though unconfirmed at this time, a female faculty member is alleged to have begun shooting during a faculty meeting after being denied tenure. As with other workplace shootings, a specific life event may be the immediate cause for such irrational behavior.

Almost all incidents of workplace violence have been perpetrated by males. That the alleged shooter was female highlights the danger of developing profiles and attempting to predict the likelihood of violence based on factors of questionable significance. Identifying the behavioral patterns and environmental factors that contribute to workplace violence are the most effective way of minimizing this danger. Training managers and staff is critical.

Tabman says that the violent trend will continue as job insecurity, financial losses, corporate misconduct and bureaucratic intransigence conspire to create an almost unbearable level of stress. Add additional factors such as marital problems or health issues and almost anyone can be pushed over the edge. The motive for this shooting is speculative. However, should the denial of tenure be confirmed as the short term triggering event, other personal stressors will probably be identified as investigators delve further into the events leading to the shooting.

Tabman's company SPIRIT Asset Protection, LLC with offices in Kansas City and Saint Louis trains companies and schools to implement plans and procedures for reducing the risk of workplace violence. They stress the need for identifying the warning signs and intervening early. Training includes table top exercises, videos and seminars.

SPIRIT also specializes in pre-employment screening and internal investigations. Tabman's new book, Walking the Corporate Beat: Police School for Business People, discusses the red flags of workplace violence as well as the myriad of other business operational risks, drawing upon his 27 years of law enforcement.

More information may be found on the company website www.spiritllc.biz or calling the Kansas City office at 913-499-0260 or the St. Louis Office at 314-828-6758.

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