In the aftermath of the May 18 shootings at the Islamic Center of San Diego, home to the lower campus of Bright Horizon Academy, there’s growing evidence of the connection between some mass casualty attacks and the issue of parents who are afraid of their children.
In fact, this problem has a name: child-to-parent violence and abuse, or CPVA — a form of domestic violence involving youths who intentionally harm their parents.
As a retired police sergeant from Chicago, it was a problem I frequently encountered throughout my 20-year career. In the San Diego tragedy, killers Cain Clark and Caleb Vazquez had histories of racism and mental health struggles. Additionally, the teens — particularly Vazquez — engaged in behaviors their parents seemed unable, or afraid, to effectively address…