Hotch now looked at the crowd in front of him and it gave him a sting. There were parents among the police officers present here, parents of other 16 year old boys who were now scared for their sons' and their own lives, who didn't feel safe anymore even though their job was to keep them and others safe.
„Welcome and thank you all for coming..." he started out and looked at Rossi, who was with him. Morgan, Prentiss and Reid had gone to meet with the school directors.
Dave took the hint and continued. „Let's make it short. We are dealing with a sociopath who started out as a person appearing almost normal but there had been obvious abuse in his family. We strongly believe that the Unsub is a Caucasian male in his late 20s, who had suffered from both mother and father. But the turning point, the trigger, happened when he was 16, we believe it was a car accident that made him believe that he is chosen to initiate his own rite-of-passage ritual for the boys. In his opinion, the trigger – a car accident – showed him his purpose and he will do anything to follow through on that pattern. It's almost a religious obsession, this quest of his, and it's just as dangerous. We believe that he is gaining access to his victims – or better to the boys he thinks he's setting free – by a help-group for teenagers having problems with their families, and he feels comfortable enough to be close to them. For them, he appears to be one of them, plus a figure of authority and trust for them. Maybe he is one of them, maybe he is someone working with them or in the building. He is not – and I repeat, he is not – an instructor or teacher. He would be someone in the background who talks to the boys during the breaks, before or afterwards. Most of the time he goes unseen. He would not be someone you noticed right away, he'd stick to the background and approach the boys only when he can be sure no one else would notice."
Now Hotch took over again. "According to this profile being a sociopath's behavioral profile, we can assume that the Unsub doesn't have a steady job, and never had been able to hold one long enough. He could be a volunteer at that certain help-center, an unlisted low-paid worker, even a group member, but by now he would know better than to try to work with a contract. But he would be someone who gets into contact with the boys easily and those boys trust him. He has probably found a place to hide the boys where they feel comfortable enough not to try to escape or report the incidents. So we need to find out where those boys used to be – meaning where they usually hang out. Unfortunately, it is going to be difficult to get a hold of that or those specific help-groups because many operate without license or official records. So we need to look into all possible aspects and interview friends and known groups in order to get some background information."
He looked around. People's faces were blank, mostly by the shock of knowledge that the Unsub was amongst them, undiscovered and probably known to someone one of the attending people.
"Even though there are many help-groups, judging by his self-esteem, the Unsub is most likely affiliated with a registered group. He doesn't fear killing in broad daylight and in front of possible witnesses." He paused for a moment. "Once again, most of the employers of such groups are registered but there are always those who help off the record. I strongly advise against irrational actions. Most likely our Unsub is not noticed, he blends in, people tend to forget about him quickly, except for those he focuses on, the boys he thinks he is saving. For them he probably appears like a person of trust and confidence, someone who has gone through the same. We think we know who we're looking for, but we can assume that he has changed his identity after the initial incident in which his parents were killed. His last known address has been searched but there was no indicator of his current whereabouts. All we know for sure is that the location he has chosen is well off the radar, meaning that it's secluded, no neighbors, no direct connections to any sort of civilization. The boys – we still assume that they are alive – have not tried to contact the police but that doesn't mean that they are not scared. Maybe in the first moment, they felt relieved but after a while they surely have come to their senses and understand that this person annihilated their entire families. So in order to keep the situation under control, he would keep them in a place out of sight. Since we don't have much farmland around, my guess is the wildlife parks or larger forest areas."
One father stood up and put both fists to his sides. "So, even though you think you know who has killed those 9 innocent people and has taken hostage 4 innocent boys, even though you have his name and address, you still can't catch him? So what good are you guys?"
Rossi lifted one hand as a peaceful gesture. "With what we have found out so far, most of the case is discovered. You are right, we know who and where but people have the ability to disappear and blend in without being found. I know it's a lot to ask for, but we need you to please not to anything apart from keeping your eyes open and helping us discover the Unsub. As we have said, he normally goes unnoticed, yet if you pay attention to the behavior profile and you will most likely notice him."
"So you know who is responsible for this, yet you don't do anything…You said you know who he was!" another man shouted.
Hotch could understand this behavior, yet it was not leading anywhere. "Please, I know that you all are upset. But we need to stay focused in order to catch the Unsub. Even though we know who he is, we don't know where he is. A person can easily disappear, if they only want to. We need your help to find out where he might be hiding." He cleared his throat.
Rossi stepped in again. "We have advanced in this case, but now we depend on your eyes and ears. This Unsub is out there, and very likely looking for another boy to take!" His voice had taken an unusual tone. "Instead of going against the FBI you should spread the profile among your families, neighbors and friends. If you have sons in the age-range, prepare them! Try to be outside as little as possible. Don't use the car in high-traffic hours."
The man who had last spoken sat on his chair, jaws clenched but there was a look of understanding in his squinted eyes.