There's been a great deal of speculation about 20-year-old gunman, Adam Lanza's mental and developmental health since the shooting in Newtown that left 28 dead, including Lanza.
Some who knew him say he had Asperger's syndrome - an Autism Spectrum Disorder. But Autism advocacy groups were quick to caution against linking Asperger's Syndrome to the violence.
Groups: Autism not to blame for violence
Bob and Suzanne Wright - grandparents of a child with autism and the founders of Autism Speaks - say: "Autism did not cause this horror. The profound tragedy of these senseless murders will only be compounded if it results in unwarranted discrimination against people with autism."
But according to a leading medical encyclopedia - cited on the National Institutes of Health website - here are some possible behaviors for a person with Autism:
– Shows a lack of empathy
– "Acts up" with intense tantrums
– Shows aggression to others or self
So could Autism have played a role of any kind – if that's indeed what Lanza had?
OutFront tonight: Bob Wright, co-founder of Autism Speaks.
soundoff (No Responses)