"I Never Thought He'd Actually Do It": Why the Reiners Didn't See the Danger | Shavaun Scott

Sources say the Reiner family had been scared of Nick for years. That he had violent outbursts. That Michele told a friend, "I don't know what else we can do." That his behavior was aggressive enough to require private yoga sessions as a child because he was too disruptive for groups.

They knew something was wrong. They sensed danger. And they stayed.

Psychotherapist Shavaun Scott joins Hidden Killers to examine the psychology of families who live with fear but don't take protective action. She explains what happens cognitively when people minimize danger from someone they love — the denial, the hope, the belief that "he would never actually do it."

This episode isn't about mental illness in the abstract. It's about violence risk specifically. How do clinicians assess whether someone is dangerous? What factors indicate escalation? What should have happened at Conan O'Brien's party when Nick's behavior was alarming enough that someone considered calling 911?

Shavaun also explains the tension in how we talk about mental illness and violence. Most people with schizophrenia are not violent. But some are. How do we hold both truths — destigmatizing mental illness while acknowledging that certain presentations carry real risk?

A law enforcement source says conservatorship proceedings were in the works when Rob and Michele were killed. Too late. Shavaun helps us understand what typically has to happen for a family to pursue that level of intervention — and why it so often comes right before tragedy instead of in time to prevent it.

#NickReiner #RobReiner #ShavaunScott #HiddenKillers #WarningSigns #ViolenceRisk #MentalHealth #TrueCrime #Escalation #Prevention

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