The purpose of this portion of a larger qualitative study was to explore certified nursing assistants’ (CNA) perceptions of the characteristics of both the victims and initiators of resident-to-resident violence (RRV) in order to identify resident characteristics that influence the development of RRV. Data were collected using a demographic form and semi-structured interviews. Demographic data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and interview data were analyzed using content analysis and constant comparison. The results revealed that CNAs perceive initiators of RRV to be “more with it,” to have “stronger personalities,” “shorter fuses,” and “life history” that makes them prone to inflict harm on other residents. Certified nursing assistants described victims of RRV using phrases such as, “they don’t know,” “can’t communicate,” and “gets around good.” These results indicate that there are resident characteristics that may indicate whether a resident is likely to commit, or become involved as a victim in, RRV. The results also revealed that, in some situations, residents who were normally easy going and even tempered might strike out with violence if exposed to a large number of triggers over time. This study provides the first detailed description of nursing home residents who initiate violence against other residents. Knowledge gained from this study may be useful in developing models of RRV, a precursor to developing interventions for the prevention of RRV.