Willful Ignorance in Action: Leveraging Fear to Legitimize Hate
The day Rahmanullah Lakanwal allegedly shot two members of the National Guard in Washington D.C., President Trump labeled the purported incident as an “act of …
Read MoreTraceable Evidence
Exploring the Patterns Behind Human Behavior and Violence
Welcome to Traceable Evidence, the official blog of Dr. S. Lee Funk—a behavioral scientist dedicated to uncovering the psychological and social roots of violence. In this space, Dr. Funk brings decades of research, case analysis, and fieldwork to light, revealing how violent acts are rarely random, but rather the result of complex, traceable factors.
Each post dives deep into the mindset, conditions, and decision-making patterns behind acts of extreme harm—from mass shootings to domestic abuse. Whether examining cultural trends, high-profile cases, or overlooked early warning signs, Traceable Evidence is where science meets social accountability.
This blog is for educators, policymakers, concerned citizens, and anyone seeking to understand not just what happened, but why—and what we can do to prevent it. Because when we follow the evidence, we find insight. And insight leads to change.
Latest Articles
Terrorism vs. Indiscriminate Mass Assaults: What’s the Difference? And Does It matter?
Many terrorist activities include mass murder but the majority of mass murders are not terrorist acts. Simple as this fact may seem, it eludes many laypersons …
Read More
Innuendo and the Legacy of Charlie Kirk
Just before Charlie Kirk was struck in the neck with a fatal bullet he had the following dialogue with Hunter Kozak, a Utah Valley University undergraduate. …
Read More
Terrorism, Rampaging, and Pronouncements: Why Expertise Matters When Framing Public Policy
A sudden mass assault and a terrorist attack are both subsumed under the category of performative violence, but they are not the same crime and conflating them …
Read More
Five Ways the Recent NYC Skyscraper Shooting Conforms with the Performative Intent of a Rampage
Time and place were deliberately chosen to maximize visibility . The assault was conducted in a public setting in the middle of rush hour. [1] There was no …
Two Slaughters, Two Offenders, Two Methods, Two Lessons
Nobody attends an outdoor celebration expecting extreme violence, which, of course, from the perspective of the perpetrator is exactly the reason for selecting …
Read More
Finally, a Proactive Legal Move that May Reduce Rampage Causalities
The state of Georgia is doing something in the wake of a school shooting that is rare and can provide guidance for other states and municipalities. It is …
Read More
Infamy as Motive: Attention Seeking through Homicide
The case of Luigi Mangione demonstrates the affinity between a sudden mass assault (or autogenic massacre) and a singular murder that could be added to the …
Read More
Surgically Removing the Media Skim and Political Spin to Get Inside The Head of a Potential Assassin
There is an essential point that investigators and journalists are not adequately considering in seeking the motivation for the recent sudden assault by Thomas …
Read More
Carnage and Culpability: Affixing Blame Versus Assessing a Threat
If it is true that the sins of the parents are visited on successive generations, is the reverse also the case? Our society cherishes the notion of individual …
Read More
Continuing Object Lessons in Extreme Violence: Maybe It’s Time to Pay Attention
Two recent news items should be of concern to anyone who has a desire to keep our daily lives a little less dreadful and our modern existence just a little more …
Read More
Quick Reference on Firearm Use in Mass Shootings
“A record of active shooters occurrences (defined as situation where an individual is actively attempting to kill in a populated space) via an FBI data base and …
Read MoreAbout Dr. Funk
Dr. S. Lee Funk is an author, researcher, and speaker with decades of experience studying violent behavior, threat assessment, and human motivation.
Learn More →