Averted/Thwarted School Shootings

This is rinse and repeat for some. If you choose to read about some of these events that were thwarted, you may note common factors: anger, idolizing the Columbine killers, well planned, and someone spoke up.

Unlike the shooting by a six year old who injured his teacher in Newport News in 2023 (trials in early 2026) and even at Columbine in 1999, in the links highlighting thwarted attempts, you will read of the people who spoke up and were believed.

But first:

If you do not know even the most well known facts on Columbine, the young man who warned as the event was unfolding, lets just say, he was not treated very nicely and the early warning signs were missed. These two articles are from shortly after the tragedy in 1999. Yesterday's news but planners of massscres idolize the two killers today.

The violent web page reported to police over a year before the April 20, 1999 shooting. Newspaper articles to copy and paste:

Warning Signs Were There - CBS News https://share.google/OxtI9wuJuSHBxNNVB

The Denver Post Online - News - Reading Mode https://share.google/vel8DwUTTJ9dcuTsF

Averted/Thwarted events. This does not necessarily equate directly with prevention but definitely intervention. 

April 2026

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/news/2026/04/15/attempted-school-shooting?cid

August 2026: copy and paste in browser:

NMSP: Shooting threat at Santa Rosa Middle School thwarted - KOB 4 https://share.google/5vugnJ1BliHatsDRm

May 23, 2026. A relative spoke up. Copy and paste.

Will County potential school shooting thwarted by relative – NBC Chicago https://share.google/XEty0SNABLNhiP6B4

The Wikepedia article is posted here has active links. The list starts in 1965 with a twelve year old girl who wanted to kill her teacher:

List of unsuccessful attacks related to schools - Wikipedia https://share.google/3tI3lvorkAAJtmesp

This next video is not an averted event but the actions did stop the gunman from shooting others. Would you call the principal a rescuer, hero, extreme risk taker,  and or intuitive? Is he like Shannon Wright?

https://youtu.be/YBXcStAO5Do?is=M74hCt_vodf_W2Gn

Learn from the actions of people who reported and those who took concerns seriously.

What would you do? List successful strategies before an event. 

Marian R. Carlino

August 19, 2026

Recovery, not always with a rescue

When tragedy strikes through the violent forces of nature or at the hands of violent people, the phrase "rescue and recovery" are paired.

Sometimes, though despite rescue efforts, it becomes recovery. The recovery phase is just that, recovering the dead. 

Once it is determined that the chance of anyone surviving is next to zero, or all live victims are out of danger, the recovery phase begins.

Can you think of any events that very quickly advanced to the recovery stage? Some miracles do happen, someone may be found alive, but recovery usually involves body bags.

Let's see what ALEXA says: She says there are four stages when I asked about the definition of RECOVERY after a tragedy.

I asked her several times.  She gave a few different answers but these four were the most common when I asked about the definition. On one of her responses, hope was in stage 4.

1 safety and stabilization

2 grieving and mourning

3 reconnecting and integration

4 consolidation and resolution

I asked specifically about the stages of recovery after a school shooting.

1 safety and stabilization

2 remembering and mourning

3 community reintegration

4 long term healing

When tragedy strikes, chaos and confusion factor in. The long term effects are often felt across continents. We are six degrees of separation after all.

No video links for this one. We can all remember on our own. 

Next up, studies on averted vs completed school shootings with examples of real events.

Marian R. Carlino

August 19, 2026