As citizens across the nation try to make sense of the tragic shootings shootings at a school in Newtown, Connecticut, WBFO's Eileen Buckley reached out to two local psychiatrists.
"The cause of this kind of behavior is being a murderous, ineffectual person," said Dr. Steven Dubovsky, professor and chair, University at Buffalo, and Adjoint Professor of Psychiatry and Medline, University of Colorado.
Credit Photo from UB School of Medicine
Steven L. Dubovsky MD, UB Department of Psychiatry Professor and Chair; Adjoint Professor of Psychiatry and Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine
Dr. Dubvosky remains a professor at University of Colorado while conducting his work at UB and ECMC in Buffalo. He had extensive experience with the aftermath of the Columbine shootings.
"The issue is we have apparently a decreasing threshold for people feel that it is okay to go out and murder other by by whatever means they might have at hand, and you can outlaw ever weapon, and you will have people going out and killing other people with a rock," said Dubvosky.
Local child psychiatrist and University at Buffalo professor Dr. Michael Cummiings says the shootings violate a place where children are suppose to be safe.
Credit Photo from UB School of Medicine
Michael R. Cummings MD, UB Department of Psychiatry Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry
"What we will have to do within this community to smooth over the disruptions that are certainly going to happen based on this in our local schools," said Dr. Cummings.
Dr. Cummings said gun violence is "staggering" AND unfortunately in many communities in the U.S. it is no longer the "exception" -- it is becoming a "reality."