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NYPD To Identify 'Deranged' Gunmen Through Internet Chatter

Posted by timothy on from the surveillance-is-good-for-your-health dept.

Hugh Pickens writes "Michael Wilson writes in the NY Times that top intelligence officials in the New York Police Department are looking for ways to target 'apolitical or deranged killers before they become active shooters' using techniques similar to those being used to spot terrorists' chatter online. The techniques would include 'cyber-searches of language that mass-casualty shooters have used in e-mails and Internet postings,' says Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly. 'The goal would be to identify the shooter in cyberspace, engage him there and intervene, possibly using an undercover to get close, and take him into custody or otherwise disrupt his plans.' There are also plans to send officers to Newtown and to scenes of other mass shootings to collect information says the department's chief spokesman Paul. J. Browne adding that potential tactics include creating an algorithm that would search online 'for terms used by active shooters in the past that may be an indicator of future intentions.' The NYPD's counter-terrorism division released a report last year, 'Active Shooter (PDF),' after studying 202 mass shooting incidents. 'So, we think this is another logical step,' says Kelly."

7 of 292 comments (clear)

  1. FTW by Baldrson · · Score: 5, Funny
    Obama. Ricin. Krytron. NWO. Red Mercury. Jews. Klystron. ZOG. EMP. Bloomberg. Subway. Federal Reserve. Ultracapacitor. Secession. McVeigh. Illuminati. Nitrate. Constitution.

    Beat that.

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    Seastead this.
    1. Re:FTW by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      You're nitrate is no good without diesel. Unless your form of terrorism is making me now the lawn 3 times a week.

    2. Re:FTW by nospam007 · · Score: 4, Funny

      "Unless your form of terrorism is making me now the lawn 3 times a week."

      Just write 'asshole' in big letters on your neighbor's lawn at night with the fertilizer, so that he can see it from his bedroom.

  2. Re:So, terrorists weren't enough by ColdWetDog · · Score: 3, Funny

    Man is not a rational animal. He is a rationalizing animal.

    Heinlein.

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    Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
  3. Re:I am a terrorist. by edibobb · · Score: 2, Funny

    A dead pan? That's just sick.

  4. Re:only problem is... by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 3, Funny

    more stringent background checks

    How about "Are there any crazy people living in your house?"

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    systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
  5. Re:Wait a moment... by bkmoore · · Score: 3, Funny

    The Batman shooter didn't have any internet presence either. Maybe law enforcement needs to start suspecting people with little or no presence. No FaceBook = potential perp.