The shooting which took place at The Cascade Mall in Burlington in September was one of the darkest days in Skagit County and Burlington history. The pain from the horrible incident still lingers all around the city and county almost two months later.
After the shooting occurred, many media outlets and experts searched for warning signs from the suspect which may have occurred earlier in his life. Prominent media outlets, Breitbart and the Associated Press (AP), reported that counselor Jim Follman had warned in January that there was a strong likelihood of similar future violations for the suspect, Arcan Cetin, unless he was properly treated for mental health and substance abuse issues.
The recommendation from Jim stemmed from an assessment Cetin received after earlier domestic violence charges put him into the court system. It appears Cetin was never properly or successfully treated for mental health and substance abuse issues and both issues being left untreated could have played a role in him eventually committing one of the worst crimes in the history of the area.
The articles published by the Associated Press and Breitbart which shared Jim’s recommendation were reminders that mental health and substance abuse issues frequently play roles in crimes. The history of crimes, both small and large, is filled with perpetrators who were dealing with these issues and who may not have received proper treatment.
The Follman Agency knows dealing with mental and substance abuse issues is incredibly challenging and recommends anyone who thinks they, or a family member or loved one, has mental and substance abuse issues, seek out the help and counseling they need as soon as possible.
