Everything To Fear

James Eagan Holmes (Customer): Dark Ages of the Renaissance Child

According to his lawyers, James Eagan Holmes had a normal childhood in San Diego, California. He was loving to his family, his dog, and his youngest sister. He was a talented child who was encouraged to take up piano lessons and join soccer practices. Just like people his age, he also played basketball and video games.

Holmes also excelled academically. For example, in fifth grade, after completing his assignments, he and his classmate used the remaining time to code their school’s website. Because of this, he earned the nickname “Renaissance Child” from his teacher.

He graduated from Westview High School in Rancho Penasquitos, California, and later interned at the Salk Institute of Biological Studies. Holmes went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in neuroscience at the University of California Riverside, then enrolled in graduate neuroscience courses at the University of Colorado.

However, Holmes showed signs of strange behavior. For instance, he would be quiet toward his peers at times but would then suddenly talk enthusiastically to them, especially if the topic was football. He also told a stranger at a nightclub in Los Angeles that he enjoyed taking LSD and other dangerous drugs. In May 2012, he also showed his Glock semiautomatic pistol to a classmate, claiming it was for protection.

Holmes’ actions worried Dr. Lynne Fenton, a University of Colorado psychiatrist, prompting her to notify at least one member of the university’s threat assessment group. Their findings showed he had no criminal record and, under Colorado law, his behavior didn’t justify involuntary hospitalization.

But Holmes’ text message to his classmate in graduate school and his disturbing notebook containing his thoughts summed up what was happening to him all along: he had dysphoric mania—a mental illness. His lawyers’ cited this as his defense after he killed 12 people and wounded 70 more during a Batman movie screening at a movie theatre in Colorado on July 20, 2012. However, the court was not convinced. Because of this, Judge Carlos Samour Jr. sentenced Holmes to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder.

As with Dr. Bishop’s case, lives might have been saved if authorities had immediately recognized the warning signs in Holmes’ actions, as noted by his classmates and Dr. Fenton.

AI Can Help Prevent Crime

As seen in these three cases of offenders, lives could have been saved if people quickly noticed their red flags and reported them to the police. However, it is understandable that we perceive behaviors differently as we have different backgrounds and limited exposure to criminal indicators.

Thankfully, AI can now be utilized in crime detection and prevention. For instance, AI can use past data and statistical models to predict future criminal activity, helping law enforcement agencies catch lawbreakers. It can also monitor online platforms for possible illegal activities, like human and drug trafficking. Additionally, it can help identify potential victims through machine-learning models.

These are just some of the reasons why 53% of Americans favor the implementation of AI in their daily lives, especially when it comes to safety and security.

The Best AI Tool to Keep You Safe

Many AI tools claim to protect you from potential threats, but not all are created equal. So, we set out to develop Risk Rater AI—a threat assessment application. The app aims to avert any potential risks to your safety.

Our app works by first asking you a series of questions to gather information about a possible threat. Your answers are then interpreted by our Ground Zero Threat Algorithm (GZTA) as low, medium, or high risk. Your summarized response and its GZTA rating are then analyzed to determine if it violated any penal provision. If so, your case will be referred to the proper authorities for you to receive the necessary support.

This comprehensive approach to crime prevention is why we believe this is the best AI tool available. Download it today on your Android or iOS device to help stop crimes from taking hold of our communities.