Who Was Amy Bishop

How to Get Away from Harm’s Way

More and more Americans are petitioning the Federal Government to take steps to lower crime incidences in the country. According to the 2024 Pew Center survey, 58% of the respondents said this issue should be prioritized. While the data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) state that the crime rate is going down, these numbers do not paint the bigger picture, only strengthening the public’s perception that there is a threat to their safety.

It’s unsurprising that the 2023 Gallup poll narrated multiple instances where Americans were fearful for their safety. For example, 40% of Americans are afraid to walk alone at night, even within a mile of their home. Moreover, close to half of the participants in the poll expressed fears of losing their cars to thieves. Meanwhile, others worry about break-ins (44%) or the risk of being robbed.

While these statistics are concerning, there are still ways to prevent these crimes. For instance, the National Institute of Justice, which reviewed over 600 cases, stated that two-thirds of criminal plots could be prevented by public reporting. Additionally, we can use studies and reports on the backgrounds of convicted felons to identify warning signs of potential attacks. This article will focus on three Perpitrator Types; the co-worker, the customer, and the significant other. We’ll examine their profiles and the heinous crimes they committed to help you identify the red flags.

1. Amy Bishop (Co-worker): Looks Can Be Deceiving

Dr. Amy Bishop was a neurobiology professor at the University of Alabama-Huntsville (UAH). She grew up in Braintree, Massachusetts. At first glance, no one would think she’d engage in any criminal activity as she didn’t fit the typical stereotype. For starters, she was considered intelligent, earning her doctorate from Harvard University—a prestigious Ivy League institution. She also completed her post-doctoral work at Harvard School of Public Health, authored scientific journals, and even invented a cell incubator.

Beyond her impressive academic credentials, Bishop had no criminal record or history of substance abuse. In addition, some students, like Janeczka Oates and graduate student Nikki Mertz, saw her as kind and well-mannered. These positive observations were seconded by the University of Alabama Huntsville Campus spokesman Ray Garner, who noted that background checks done during her hiring in 2003 yielded no red flags, reinforcing her image as a “normal” university professor.

However, a closer look into her past revealed her violent side. For instance, Bishop was accused of killing her brother, Seth Bishop, using her father’s shotgun in December 1986. Minutes after the incident, she went to a local Ford dealership and pointed the same shotgun at Tom Perrigrew to demand a getaway car, claiming she needed it to escape her abusive husband.

Despite overwhelming evidence gathered by local authorities, the coroner concluded that Seth’s death was accidental, and no charges were filed against Amy. She faced no criminal consequences for her actions with Perrigrew either, which allowed her to be released into her family’s custody without counseling or therapy.

On campus, some students also found Bishop’s behavior concerning. Caitlin Philipps, a nursing student, noted that Bishop often avoided eye contact whenever she spoke to her and that the scope of her exams went beyond what she taught to them in class. Out of concern, Philipps and her fellow students wrote a letter to their Associate Dean Daniel Rochowiak, describing Bishop’s strange behavior. Unfortunately, Rochowiak mistakenly downplayed it, saying, “We’re all a little bit eccentric.”

And so, on February 12, 2010, after an administrative meeting, Bishop rose from the table and shot Dr. Gopi Podila in the head. She went on to shoot other staff members, killing cell biologists Dr. Adriel Johnson and Dr. Maria Ragland Davis. In total, Bishop wounded three colleagues and killed three others. Her apparent motive was the denial of her tenure at the university.

Unlike her earlier criminal activities, Bishop didn’t evade justice this time. On September 24, 2012, the court sentenced Bishop to life imprisonment for capital murder after she pled guilty on September 11, 2012. While this was a victory for the victims’ families, the lives of their loved ones are forever lost due to the university’s ineffective screening of applicants and their disregard for the obvious red flags in Bishop’s past. 

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—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.