Michigan State Police are looking to prevent targeted acts of violence with the agency’s new Stop a Plot campaign.
Stop a Plot includes a new webpage that details the warning signs and risk factors to look for, ways to submit confidential tips, and resources to help someone who might be at risk.
Col. James Grady, the director of Michigan State Police, tells us in many cases involving mass shooters, for example, the attacker talked about what they were planning.
“53% of mass attacks leave a trail of clues leading up to them,” Grady said. “Two thirds of mass attackers elicited behavior that caused concerns. Again, going back to someone that’s talking about hurting somebody or walking into a venue, they want to attack people, those are things that we have to pay attention to. And we need the wonderful Michiganders across this state to step up because law enforcement professionals…we won’t be everywhere.”
For 59% of attackers, warning signs started appearing more than a year before the actual attack. Michigan State Police say the path to violence includes having a grievance, violent ideation, research for an attack, preparations for an attack, probing security, and finally, the attack itself.
Grady urges everyone to check out the Stop a Plot campaign webpage and know how to submit a tip when they see something concerning.
The campaign comes just weeks after a mass shooting at a park in Rochester Hills that injured nine.
