Bob Greene : The real reason mass murderers kill people is elusive . He asks whether outside influences play a role in inciting violence . Greene : There will be a search for answers -- why did Michael K. McLendon , the gunman in the American South , murder 10 people , why did Tim Kretschmer , the gunman in the German South , murder 15 people -- but even when a tentative answer is arrived upon , it almost certainly wo n't mean much . These days , killers seeking lasting fame seem destined to fail . They are not motivated by the thrill of killing or even their own personal gain ; they don't have any other means of making money and
Bob Greene : The real reason mass murderers kill people is elusive . He asks whether outside influences play a role in inciting violence . Greene : These days , killers seeking lasting fame seem destined to fail . They are not motivated by the thrill of killing or even their own personal gain ; they don't have any other means of making money and