INDIANAPOLIs -- As the investigation into the Orlando shooter continues, experts say some things are clear about his mental state going into the attack.
"Picking the Pride weekend fed into his notion of being able to be connected to a larger group, feeling like he was making a contribution and certainly getting some notoriety for his actions," said UIndy Professor Dr. Anita Thomas, dean of the school of psychological sciences.
Thomas said personal identity issues likely fed into the gunman's motivation, and he likely simply wanted to find some sort of connection to something – hence pledging his allegiance to ISIS.
Thomas also provided advice about what to tell your children in the wake of this attack.
"I would certainly encourage parents to have an open dialogue with their children, to ask them how they're feeling, how they're responding, to talk to them about any stress or anxiety they might be having … in terms of, 'Could this happen to us?'" Thomas said. "But, they really need to follow their instincts in terms of, 'How anxious is my child?' And if their child becomes too anxious, limit exposure and reassure them about things not happening in their community, but also talk to them about safety and that 'see something, say something' mentality needs to be communicated."
The American Psychological Association has more tips about talking to children about violence here.
