TL;DR

AFCT describes a subset of mass offenders whose primary drive is fandom of prior perpetrators fused with a long-running suicidal collapse. Ideology appears as costume/props (a kitbashed collage) rather than a coherent program. The deed is choreographed as performance with a pre-planned self-exit, seeking canonization (“add my name to the list”) rather than strategic effect.

1) Core mechanism (why the sequence matters)

• Predisposition: depressive/suicidal wiring; outsider identity.

• Context: marginalization + drift into transgressive/edgy subcultures.

• Parasocial bonding: prior attackers become emotional/identity anchors.

• Kitbash identity: contradictory memes/slogans/names; collage by design.

• Performance design: stage/props/script/audience/finale; media timing is part of the plan.

• Short window + exit: poor reload/tactical discipline; pre-declared self-termination.

• Legal overlay: hate/terror labels may apply, but are secondary to the collapse-performance driver.

Why it works: AFCT integrates identity hunger (becoming someone), death hunger (ending the self), and audience hunger (being seen) into one ritualized event. The contradictions are not bugs; they are signal—they telegraph the collage nature of the persona.

2) The psychology of AFCT

• Parasocial emulation: The “hero” is a prior shooter. “Meaning” is appropriated, not authored.

• Collapse theatre: Suicide is scripted as spectacle; the killing is the stage-craft of the exit.

• Identity kitbash: Left/right slogans, gamer slang, extremist symbols, pop-culture—stacked for shock and legibility.

• Contradiction density: Incoherent mixes are intentional; they increase mystique, trolling power, and news salience.

• Fame calculus: Notoriety is the currency; body-count, symbolism, and choreographed media drops are the “marketing.”

3) Distinguishing AFCT from adjacent types

• Doctrinal terrorist: coherent ideology, movement discipline, survival/propaganda plan. (AFCT lacks cohesion; spectacle > strategy.)

• Grievance/workplace shooter: personal vendetta, minimal theatre. (AFCT is theatre-max, canon-seeking.)

• Simple copycat: recreates form. (AFCT wants canonization, not mere imitation.)

• Pseudo-commando: gear-obsessed and grandiose. (AFCT adds fandom + contradiction stacking + pre-planned exit.)

4) Non-operational field indicators (screening; not a checklist for action)

• Fandom/canon markers: names/quotes of prior shooters on media/gear; explicit homages.

• Contradiction density: mixed ideologies + meme slang; collage by design.

• Showmanship index: staged/scheduled content, prop reveals, “outro” lines, visible set-dressing.

• Suicide primacy: finale language; exit-weapon logic; short duration.

• Symbolic staging: sanctuary/ritual spaces; anniversaries; shock/legibility over strategy.

Quick rubric (0–2 each, max 10): fandom markers; contradiction density; showmanship; suicide primacy; symbolic staging.
Interpretation: 8–10 = AFCT-likely; 4–7 = mixed; 0–3 = unlikely.

5) Testable predictions (and falsifiers)

Predictions

• P1: Higher contradiction density ↔ shorter attack + self-termination.

• P2: Presence of fandom markers ↔ media-timing behaviors (pre-staged videos/posts).

• P3: Above-chance idol/location/fate mirroring (e.g., same site category, same end state).

• P4: Reload discipline deficits → preference for weapon switching over sustained reload cycles.

• P5: Prop salience (stickers, inscriptions, soundtracks) predicts post-event meme spread.

Falsifiers

• Coherent ideology with movement discipline; organizational direction/resources.

• Survival/escape emphasis; operational tradecraft improving lethality over legibility.

• Minimal fandom/showmanship; low contradiction density; no parasocial markers.

6) How the information environment feeds AFCT

• Contagion scripts: Highly publicized attacks provide a ready-made “playbook” (aesthetics, language, target type, finale).

• Notoriety economics: Saturated coverage rewards killers with fame capital; AFCT actors explicitly optimize for this.

• Meme-ification loop: Props/phrases are designed for virality; the more visually legible, the easier the spread.

• Audience segmentation: Code-switching (slurs, foreign scripts, gamer slang) targets multiple micro-audiences simultaneously.

Media hygiene principles (ethics):

• Center victims/survivors; de-mythologize perpetrators.

• Avoid manifesto reproduction and prop glamour shots.

• Use generic labels over killer names; suppress canon language where possible.

7) Intervention levers (prevention-first; non-operational)

A. Early-warning constellation

• Violent-idol fixation + leakage + weapons access/suicidality.

• Watch for contradiction stacking (increasing collage) and performance planning (props, scheduled posts).

B. Break the parasocial loop

• Counseling with explicit counter-role models; redirect identity hunger into pro-social mastery tracks.

• Harden access near anniversaries/ritual dates; nudge platforms to reduce notoriety rewards.

C. Platform & press hygiene

• Throttle killer-centric assets; amplify survivor/community narratives.

• Editorial standards: minimal naming, no prop close-ups, context without spectacle.

D. Community protocols

• Train gatekeepers (schools, clubs, ranges) to spot fandom + collapse patterns without stigmatizing lawful communities.

• Provide off-ramps: anonymous help lines, peer-support pathways, and rapid clinical triage for suicidality.

8) Research program (what to measure next)

• AFCT Index: a validated scale for fandom markers, contradiction density, showmanship, suicide primacy, symbolism.

• Mirroring analysis: quantify idol/location/fate matches vs. baselines.

• Media-timing metrics: pre/post scheduling rates; correlation with prop salience.

• Outcome studies: do no-notoriety practices measurably reduce AFCT-style staging over time?

• Prospective registries: pre-register predictions (P1–P5) to avoid hindsight bias.

9) Ethics note

This framework exists to detect and disrupt, not to mythologize. Keep it victim-first, minimize perpetrator aura, and avoid operational detail. AFCT language is a steering tool for prevention and threat assessment—not a brand.