The simplistic answer is no: there is not enough evidence to definitely conclude that these medications directly contribute to these types of deaths. The more complex answer is probably. There is enough anecdotal and clinical evidence, as well as some research that does indicate that horrific events may be at least partially attributed to these medications. So why has it been so difficult to ascertain the truth about SSRI’s and similar medications. One reason is that in large studies, the number of suicides that might be attributed to these medications may be cancelled out statistically by the number of people where these medications may help prevent a suicide or murder. The reality of many modern psychiatric medications is that their effects are highly variable. Some people do show some improvement on these medications, and other people get worse. This clear clinical observation is largely due to the actual effect these drugs seem to have. There is no evidence that SSRI’s “cure” any kind of disease or fix a “chemical imbalance”. Their main clinical effect, reported by most patients, is that they have an emotional numbing effect. For some people, having the edge taken off of overwhelming feelings can be beneficial, but for others this effect can be disastrous. A person, who already feels emotionally numb or dead, can end up feeling totally alienated from themselves and their feelings on these medications. Someone who has underlying rage against people, and is struggling to maintain some human empathy for others, may become murderous if there feelings of concern for others or anxiety about the consequences of a crime are muted. There is certainly some role for these medications when used appropriately, in combination with proper therapy, to help a person deal with severe angst or anxiety. It can also be very dangerous to prescribe these medications to individuals who already tend to feel emotionally deadened, and are struggling to maintain emotional contact with others. Practitioners need to be aware of the complex issues in the emotional struggles of patients before ever prescribing these drugs. It is also crucial to be honest with patients about the true effects, limitations, and possible adverse effects of these medications.