Psychologist Strutz:

Amok threats are made out of frustration

Psychologist and psychotherapist Barnabas Strutz

(Bild: Einöder Horst)

Are amok threats by half children actually a cry for help because they can't deal with their aggression? At least that's the opinion of Wilhering psychologist and psychotherapist Barnabas Strutz, who commented on the current case in the Mühlviertel.

"Krone readers were the first to know: as we reported, a 13-year-old is suspected of having threatened to go on a killing spree in a chat on TikTok.

 Investigations are still ongoing
The investigation is still ongoing, but it is suspected that the teenager may have set up the TikTok account of an adult from Linz on his cell phone and then used it himself without permission.

Aggressive children
But why are half children threatening to run amok? After all, this is the third time this has happened in Upper Austria this year, and there have also been similar police operations in Steyr and Garsten.

This is exactly what we keep warning against. Please never give codes or pins to strangers or allow strangers to set up such apps.

Erwin Pilgerstorfer, Polizeibezirkskommandant Urfahr-Umgebung

Psychologist Barnabas Strutz on the motivation of the perpetrators: "On the one hand, every young person today has a cell phone and therefore full access to all social media; on the other hand, many in this age group are very frustrated - and this can easily be relieved by reaching for a smartphone. However, the police must take every threat seriously. If children become so aggressive, then please take it seriously and arrange therapy!"