Question

Week 8 Discussion 2: Navy Yard Shooter and Mental Illness: Aaron Alexis is known as Navy Yard shooter, went on a delusional rampage and killed 12 people on September 16, 2013. He had been allegedly receiving mental health services from the Veteran's Administration (VA) hospital since 2011. After reading the article and watching the videos, please post your answers for the following question:

Do you believe that Aaron Alexis slipped through the cracks of VA mental healthcare system or was he simply delusional at that moment and snapped. Explain your answer.

Answer 1

I think Aaron Alexis slipped through the cracks of VA mental healthcare system because almost all the doctors who treated him mentioned no problem except some physical ailments and for some. All his medical record show no sign of mental illness because they only mention about Alexis complaining of minor physical ailments, including foot and knee injuries, slight hearing loss and later insomnia, but resolutely denying any mental health issues. It further states that his mind was clear and focused free of any stress.

So retaliation for the Navy’s disciplinary action against him for his drunken behaviour in 2009 makes more sense for his shooting because he chose the Washington Navy Yard as his target. He must have suffered the pain while serving the navy and when he retired from navy he was waiting for an opportunity to bounce back.