The “Pseudocommando” Mass Murderer: Part I, the Psychology of Revenge and Obliteration

The pseudocommando is a type of mass murderer who kills in public during the daytime, plans his offense well in advance, & comes prepared with an arsenal of weapons. He has no escape planned & expects to be killed during the incident. Research suggests the pseudocommando is driven by strong feelings of anger & resentment. Part 1 of this article reviews the research on the pseudocommando & the psychology of revenge, with special attention to revenge fantasies. It is argued that revenge fantasies become the last refuge of the pseudocommando’s mortally wounded self-esteem & ultimately enable him to commit mass murder-suicide. (38 refs.) JA