In tonight’s Hidden Killers Live, we’re unpacking one of the most uncomfortable realities about modern institutions: people show concerning behavior long before they cross a legal line — and institutions rarely know what to do with that space in between. Joining us is retired FBI Special Agent Robin Dreeke, who has spent his career studying that gap.
Washington State University found itself exactly in that space. Multiple women reported disturbing interactions. Faculty documented repeated issues. A mandatory meeting was held because of one TA. And yet, without a criminal act, the system froze. This is where human behavior, risk-assessment, civil liberties, and collective avoidance all collide.
Robin walks us through the difference between awkward behavior, socially atypical behavior, and genuine threat indicators. We dig into pattern recognition — the difference between one strange moment and a pattern that should raise alarms. We explore why people inside institutions often sense danger before they can justify it, and why ignoring intuition is not only dismissive but dangerous.
Stacy joins with insights from The Gift of Fear, explaining why women’s nervous systems often pick up on danger faster than conscious thought. We examine how that instinct was repeatedly ignored at WSU — and why “he’s never been violent” is not proof of safety but a misunderstanding of how violence escalates.
Finally, we go deep into the civil liberties paradox. How do you assess risk when the person hasn’t done anything illegal? How do you avoid mistaking neurodivergence for danger? And what should real threat-assessment training look like on a modern college campus?
If you want a clearer understanding of what WSU missed — and what every institution should learn from this — this episode is essential.
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#HiddenKillers #RobinDreeke #WSU #ThreatAssessment #BryanKohberger #CampusSafety #BehavioralScience #TonyBrueski #CivilLiberties #TrueCrimeAnalysis
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