The number of people who have asked me “Would Anger Management have prevented Derrick Bird from killing all those people?” has gone off the scale. As a result I have been giving this a lot of thought. The conclusion I have come to is that without the facts it is impossible to say. That is so obvious when you say it, but this does not stop many people with differing agendas taking the opportunity to speculate.

I wish to be sensitive to the feelings of a community that is clearly in shock and distress. Every speculative word they read will be scanned and analysed for potential solutions/root causes. Everything that is said and written will have emotional resonance. The community involved will rebound between hope and despair and I don’t want to be one of those exacerbating those feelings. 

So, if the investigating authorities wish to consult us we are here. Other than that, when eventually a report is produced and conclusions are drawn from facts (not speculation) I may sit down and consider whether our particular specialism would have helped him.

Meanwhile, my thoughts are with the families, friends, and the whole community affected by these tragic events.