Dr. Paul E. Mullen an internationally recognized psychiatrist currently residing in Melbourne. Through decades of research, he’s developed an unrivaled understanding of the twisted psyche of lone-actor mass killers. At 81 years old, he is the author of “Running Amok: Inside the Mind of the Lone Mass Killer,” published by Extraordinary Books. In his book, Dr. Mullen explores the patterns and motivations of these individuals, offering a nuanced perspective that challenges common perceptions.
Dr. Mullen’s career has led him to meet some of the most well-known criminals whose violent deeds made headlines across the globe. His own trip into this foreboding new world started back in November of 1990, when he was living near Dunedin, New Zealand. That fateful day, he heard gunfire in Aramoana, a small town where a mass shooting occurred, marking a pivotal moment in his understanding of such tragedies.
A friend from the medical community clued Dr. Mullen in to what was happening in Aramoana. This recent news made him curious about the psychological profiles of mass killers. He later treated a 28-year-old man who had engaged in a violent standoff with police after setting fire to a guesthouse, further deepening his insights into the minds behind these extreme actions.
Dr. Mullen points out that lone mass killers almost never operate independent of context. Rather, they tend to follow the same familiar playbooks and cultural narratives that expose their true intentions. He added that to begin solving the increasing level of violence, we need to understand these factors.
“What emerges is the big story, what this is about, how it developed, how we can do something – not to stop it completely, but to reduce it.” – Dr. Paul E Mullen
In his extensive research on lone mass killers, Dr. Mullen has traced their history back to a notable incident in Germany in 1913, marking one of the first occurrences in the Western world. His conclusion based on these findings is that these young adults sometimes hold intense resentments that can be cumulative.
“The resentment builds up and builds up, and it becomes your whole attitude to the world, which is angry, which is full of a sense of grievance. But it’s much worse, because you never did anything. And this, in a sense, is your final reply.” – Dr. Paul E Mullen
Even with an uphill battle to find a publisher thanks to the incredibly nuanced and thoughtful approach in his book, Dr. Mullen didn’t stop there. Nishikawa is convinced that the first step to reducing that violence is by not naming killers. By refusing to ever give them the notoriety they crave, we can help reduce their power.
“This is exactly what they want to be seen as – the lone wolf, the predator going around the edges.” – Dr. Paul E Mullen
Dr. Mullen’s encounters with mass killers reveal a common thread: their uncertainty about whether they will follow through with their violent intentions until the last moments. Clarifying that to empathize with these monsters does not mean we support their actions, he emphasizes recognizing the humanity in these individuals.
“I mean, they’re people. My job is to understand why they’ve done something extraordinary.” – Dr. Paul E Mullen
It is through his decades of experience that Dr. Mullen has gained the deepest insights possible into the psychology of mass killings. Yet his work drove home the need to understand the causes of these ordinary tragic moments. It is equally illustrative in implying pathways for prevention.
“But you’ve just got to carry on.” – Dr. Paul E Mullen