Another school shooting. Another bully shot. Another victim in police custody.

[Flatulo]

105. Wikipedia has both accounts - that they were bullied, and in turn bullied others

and I've heard this is not uncommon. I also recall hearing at the time that one of them had their expensive bicycle tossed off a cliff by some jocks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Harris_and_Dylan_Klebold

I think the trouble for bullied kids begins when they start to disconnect from everyone, and retreat into their fantasies of revenge. Either the parents miss this withdrawal, or are themselves in denial that anything is wrong.

I had been on the lookout for this with my own son, and noticed him withdrawing in the seventh grade, and I immediately began discussing things with him, most particularly assuring him that he was NOT alone and was NOT a weird kid. I related my bullying experiences to him, and offered him several strategies. He had an advantage that I did not, which was physical size, so with training he was able to punch out the bully and send him on his way. This action earned him enough respect to avoid any subsequent bullying right up through grade 12.

Unfortunately, there are bullies everywhere - in the workplace, on the street, in the supermarket - it seems to be a part of the human condition.