The gunman who killed three police officers and wounded three others in Louisiana’s capital, Baton Rouge, on Sunday reportedly suffered from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
An anonymous source involved in the investigation told CNN that Gavin Eugene Long, 29, filled his prescription for the antianxiety drug lorazepam, which is sold under the brand name Ativan, in June. He had also been prescribed the antianxiety drug diazepam (Valium) and the anti-insomnia drug eszopiclone (Lunesta), according to the report.
Diazepam and lorazepam are both benzodiazepines, classified as tranquilizers, which are commonly prescribed to treat PTSD, according to the National Center for PTSD.
Long, of Kansas City, Mo., served in the Marine Corps from August 2005 to August 2010 as a data network specialist and achieved the rank of sergeant, according to a spokesperson for the U.S. military. He was deployed to Iraq from June 2008 until January 2009.
The National Institute of Mental Health says that feeling afraid during and after a traumatic event is natural and that the fight-or-flight response is intended to protect oneself from harm. Most people recover from these early symptoms naturally, but someone might be diagnosed with PTSD if feelings of fright or stress persist long after the danger has gone away.
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