Asperger's not to blame for Newtown

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - The shooter for the Connecticut shooting may have had Asperger's Syndrome. As a result, many questions are being raised about the developmental disability.

Asperger's Syndrome is a mild form of Autism Spectrum Disorder. People with Asperger's may show occasional aggressive behavior, but it's usually just a spur-of-the-moment response to a situation.

Dr. Michelle Hartley-McAndrew is director of the Autism Spectrum Disorder Center at Women and Children's Hospital. She's seen hundreds of patients and knows that violent behavior is unusual in those who have Asperger's.

"It's not this kind of multiple stages of planning that we saw in this horrible case," she explained. "It's extremely rare that you would see violent acts in a child that is affected by Asperger's. And in fact, children with Asperger's Disorder are more likely to have a violent act committed against them; they're more likely to be a victim rather than a perpetrator of a violent act."

And having an Autism Spectrum Disorder does not predispose someone to violent crime.

Dr. Hartley-McAndrew said, "There really is no increase in rates of violent crimes in Autism Spectrum Disorders versus the general population. Attributing this heinous crime to a diagnosis of Asperger's is irresponsible, and it's simply unfair to the children - the multiple children - who are affected by this disorder."

The answer is likely to lie in another mental illness. A person with an Autism Spectrum Disorder may have a separate mental health problem, but it's not more likely than it is in the general population. Asperger's should not be blamed for this tragedy.