Pasadena’s Dr. Drew Reacts to ‘Sinister’ School Shooting

The fatal shooting of 20 elementary school children and a handful of adults—including the shooter’s mother—at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Friday leaves many asking, “Why?”

For the latest updates on the shooting and aftermath, read on Newtown Patch here.

While details are still unclear about the deceased shooter’s motive, Dr. Drew Pinsky, who has helped people with various addictions on VH1’s “Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew” at Pasadena Recovery Center, spoke out on what sets this tragedy apart from some others and the need for more attention to those with mental health issues.

“This is something different,” Pinsky told Wolf Blitzer on CNN Friday, comparing it with other shootings he has studied. “Someone going purposefully and killing small children. This is the world we live in. This has GOT to change. Our culture is sick.”

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Pinsky noted that there must have been some evidence of the shooter’s mental illness prior to the tragedy and that the “purposeful, goal-directed nature” of the shooting suggests something more “sinister” and “chronic.”

Among Pinsky’s suggestions for trying to stop these type of incidents from occurring is that, on a large scale, the government and culture need to act like a healthy family.

On a smaller scale, Pinsky said we have to help people help those with mental issues and treat it as we would any other serious health problem.

Los Angeles area school districts and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department have released statements on the shooting and the sheriff’s department has shared ways that people can be alerted when an emergency occurs.

For more updates, check back on Patch.