it's making me mad that they're blaming his autism for the shooting. it's putting an even more negative stigma on autism.
—
Finley Baldwin (@finssss) December 15, 2012So much of what we have been told about Friday’s horrible shooting in Newtown, Conn., has turned out to be incorrect upon further investigation. One early theory, which arose from reports of a police interview with Adam Lanza’s brother, Ryan, was that Adam had a “personality disorder” and was “somewhat autistic.” Accounts from those who knew Lanza in passing suggest that the alleged shooter was “a little off,” but in a rush to explain the horrible events at Sandy Hook Elementary, many are linking the shooting to autism — a troubling development to many.
US media already connecting Newtown shooting with#autism. Please don't add prejudice to the grief and shock.—
Janine Booth (@JanineBooth) December 15, 2012
Just so everyone is clear about this. A symptom of Autism is not shooting your mother in the face. Blame something else.—
Ron M. (@Jewtastic) December 15, 2012
To Ryan Lanza, who painted the WRONG picture of Autism for the uneducated portion of the nation- SHUT UP! Your brother had a mental disorder—
Kelsey Artzner (@KelseyArtzner) December 16, 2012
Autism? Last thing they should be trying to connect this too, my brother has Autism. Don't see him trying to shoot up a school #NancyGrace—
♥..[E]lexius:) (@Mommyy_Status) December 16, 2012
#Autism has as much connection to a shooting as a nervous twitch, stuttering or hair color. Don't let the media convince you otherwise.—
Stuart Duncan (@autismfather) December 15, 2012
And for anybody who is blaming autism for the shooting shut up. Autism doesn't make killers.—
Devon Haas (@DevonHaas) December 15, 2012
This guy didn't kill because he's autistic. My sister's autistic and she wouldn't hurt a fly. He had serious mental issues, not just autism.—
Amanda Shoemaker (@amanda_shoe13) December 15, 2012
They keep mentioning that the CT school shooter had Asperger's. Now people are going to fear that all ASD pts will go on shooting rampages.—
Dr Killpatient (@Talesfromtheer) December 15, 2012
Makes it so much harder for parents like ME..Connecticut school shooting thrusts autism into national spotlight examiner.com/article/connec…—
Krista Quintrell (@kquintrell) December 15, 2012
Violence is NOT a characteristic of Asperger's, I would know. My brother has AS. abcnews.go.com/m/story?id=179…—
Tessa Salomone (@Tessita_) December 16, 2012
Why is it we have another shooting & people are eager to announce that the killer has autism?! Do NOT correlate MURDER with AUTISM!!—
I Breathe Research (@MsPsychodynamic) December 15, 2012
If the shooting ends up as a reason for the media to paint all those suffering from Asperger's as ticking time bombs I will flip a table.—
Luisa S (@unusuallymodest) December 15, 2012
Some are worried that reports on the shooting are using autism and mental illness interchangeably, where autism is a neurological condition.
One of the really concerning things coming out of this tragedy is "media" carelessly blurring the lines between autism and mental illness—
Jonathan Aguiar (@JonAguiar) December 15, 2012
Dear Media, Stop calling Autism a "mental illness". Being accurate about this, especially in the midst of such tragedy, matters.—
Guilty Squid (@guiltysquid) December 15, 2012
Aside: Autism/Asperger's is not a "mental illness".—
Melissa Clouthier (@MelissaTweets) December 14, 2012
My 11-yo son has Aspergers and won't even kill a fly. It's not a mental illness. It's a high functioning form of autism.—
(@Stinni) December 14, 2012
something that should be clarified. there is no evidence of a link between autism and planned violent behavior. #Newtown—
Dr. Sanjay Gupta (@drsanjaygupta) December 15, 2012
Medications might be a factor, but that too is only a theory. Some in the medical field have a less-scientific but perhaps more plausible explanation for Lanza’s alleged acts.
Skeptical between link of autism and this shooting in CT. Even in cases of individuals with autism being violent it's reactive not PLANNED—
Monique James, M.D. (@MoniqueJamesMD) December 15, 2012
A lot of the information that has come out about this CT school shooter has proven to be inaccurate.—
Monique James, M.D. (@MoniqueJamesMD) December 15, 2012
Just because he committed these heinous acts, does not mean he was suffering from mental illness. There is pure evil out there as well.—
Monique James, M.D. (@MoniqueJamesMD) December 15, 2012
