More than 25 years after two students used high-powered rifles to take the lives of 12 classmates and one teacher before killing themselves at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, school shootings in the United States show no signs of slowing down – conversely, they seem to be getting deadlier. In 2007, Columbine was dethroned as the deadliest school shooting when 32 people were fatally shot by a university student at Virginia Tech, one of many prior perpetrators influenced by the Littleton massacre. The prevalence of armed attacks at American educational institutions points to a potentially systemic problem; between 2009 and 2018, the United States recorded 57 times as many school shootings compared to other high-income nations and as of 2019, became the only major industrialized country in which firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens.
In recent years, school shootings surpassed their highest recorded levels, although figures may differ depending upon the source. Since there is no federal database – or definition – for school shootings, data is compiled by independent sources using varying factors to determine what constitutes a school shooting. According to the K-12 School Shooting Database, there were 348 school shootings, defined as every time a gun is brandished, fired, or a bullet hits school property, regardless of the time, day, reason, or number of victims (including zero), in 2023. Since 1966, school shootings transpired most often at the time of morning classes, a time which also accounted for the most casualties. However, not all incidents were located in the classroom; the highest victim count was recorded by shootings taking place in school parking lots, followed by hallways and at the front of schools.
While it is impossible to predict the profile of a future school shooter, long term studies show that shooter demographics differ by school type. Research on mass public shootings, where four or more people are murdered by firearms in public, reveals that most mass shooters at K-12 schools between 1966 and January 2024 were White, while less than 20 percent were Native American or Latinx. In comparison, almost half of mass shooters at colleges or universities were Asian, followed by 33 percent who were White and 11 percent who were either Black or Middle Eastern. However, there was an equally high likelihood that mass shooters at K-12 schools and on college campuses were ‘location insiders’, meaning they had an existing relationship to the shooting site. Typically, students are the most likely perpetrators of school shootings.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, almost all active shooters in education settings from 2000 to 2022 were male. However, while most active shooters at postsecondary schools were at least 25 years old, active shooters at elementary schools and secondary schools were usually between the ages of 12 to 18 years, suggesting that most K-12 shooters obtained a firearm illegally. The use of rifles and shotguns was also more prevalent in active shooter incidents in K-12 schools, weapons often used to commit indiscriminate shootings, where the shooter targets random victims with the intent to harm as many as possible.
Studies show that indiscriminate shootings occur more frequently in majority-White schools, while shootings at schools which primarily serve students of color are most often dispute or grievance related, such as an escalation of an argument or in retaliation against bullying. However, even though most dispute or grievance related shootings occur outside the school building, teachers in high-minority schools are more likely to report metal detectors or other screening at school entrances. In contrast, majority-White schools rarely reported such equipment, despite having a greater likelihood of experiencing a shooting inside the school.
As of 2023, more Americans believed that tighter school security would reduce gun violence against children compared to having fewer guns in the community. Since Columbine, however, the U.S. has invested billions on physical safety measures in schools without much success. Although most school shooters are students themselves, active shooter drills have become commonplace, along with the presence of armed school resource officers (SROs). Despite public support for hiring armed guards to reduce the severity of school shootings, there is little evidence of this effect; out of all school shooting incidents identified by the K-12 School Shooting Database, only around two percent resulted in the shooter being apprehended by an SRO. Several U.S. states also authorized arming teachers and required that firearms be allowed on college campuses, even though nearly all college students were found in favor of campus regulations restricting guns.
Additionally, most public K-12 teachers maintain they would not carry a gun even if allowed. Instead, the majority advocated for improved mental health services. However, mental illness is only one of many possible motivating factors and ultimately, addressing all possible mental health concerns or identifying countless motivations behind school shooters is unrealistic. Consequently, it may be crucial to consider the only known factor present in every school shooting: the ability to access a gun. To avoid compromising the nation’s right to bear arms, policymakers could consider secure storage laws requiring gun owners to lock up their firearms to prevent unauthorized access by children. As 2024 marked the first time that the parents of a school shooter were convicted of homicide charges after enabling their teenage son to access to a gun, it is conceivable that the United States will take further steps to regulate responsible gun ownership and ensure the safety of its young citizens.
In recent years, school shootings surpassed their highest recorded levels, although figures may differ depending upon the source. Since there is no federal database – or definition – for school shootings, data is compiled by independent sources using varying factors to determine what constitutes a school shooting. According to the K-12 School Shooting Database, there were 348 school shootings, defined as every time a gun is brandished, fired, or a bullet hits school property, regardless of the time, day, reason, or number of victims (including zero), in 2023. Since 1966, school shootings transpired most often at the time of morning classes, a time which also accounted for the most casualties. However, not all incidents were located in the classroom; the highest victim count was recorded by shootings taking place in school parking lots, followed by hallways and at the front of schools.
Demographics of a school shooter
While it is impossible to predict the profile of a future school shooter, long term studies show that shooter demographics differ by school type. Research on mass public shootings, where four or more people are murdered by firearms in public, reveals that most mass shooters at K-12 schools between 1966 and January 2024 were White, while less than 20 percent were Native American or Latinx. In comparison, almost half of mass shooters at colleges or universities were Asian, followed by 33 percent who were White and 11 percent who were either Black or Middle Eastern. However, there was an equally high likelihood that mass shooters at K-12 schools and on college campuses were ‘location insiders’, meaning they had an existing relationship to the shooting site. Typically, students are the most likely perpetrators of school shootings.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, almost all active shooters in education settings from 2000 to 2022 were male. However, while most active shooters at postsecondary schools were at least 25 years old, active shooters at elementary schools and secondary schools were usually between the ages of 12 to 18 years, suggesting that most K-12 shooters obtained a firearm illegally. The use of rifles and shotguns was also more prevalent in active shooter incidents in K-12 schools, weapons often used to commit indiscriminate shootings, where the shooter targets random victims with the intent to harm as many as possible.
Studies show that indiscriminate shootings occur more frequently in majority-White schools, while shootings at schools which primarily serve students of color are most often dispute or grievance related, such as an escalation of an argument or in retaliation against bullying. However, even though most dispute or grievance related shootings occur outside the school building, teachers in high-minority schools are more likely to report metal detectors or other screening at school entrances. In contrast, majority-White schools rarely reported such equipment, despite having a greater likelihood of experiencing a shooting inside the school.
Does increased school security prevent shootings?
As of 2023, more Americans believed that tighter school security would reduce gun violence against children compared to having fewer guns in the community. Since Columbine, however, the U.S. has invested billions on physical safety measures in schools without much success. Although most school shooters are students themselves, active shooter drills have become commonplace, along with the presence of armed school resource officers (SROs). Despite public support for hiring armed guards to reduce the severity of school shootings, there is little evidence of this effect; out of all school shooting incidents identified by the K-12 School Shooting Database, only around two percent resulted in the shooter being apprehended by an SRO. Several U.S. states also authorized arming teachers and required that firearms be allowed on college campuses, even though nearly all college students were found in favor of campus regulations restricting guns.
Additionally, most public K-12 teachers maintain they would not carry a gun even if allowed. Instead, the majority advocated for improved mental health services. However, mental illness is only one of many possible motivating factors and ultimately, addressing all possible mental health concerns or identifying countless motivations behind school shooters is unrealistic. Consequently, it may be crucial to consider the only known factor present in every school shooting: the ability to access a gun. To avoid compromising the nation’s right to bear arms, policymakers could consider secure storage laws requiring gun owners to lock up their firearms to prevent unauthorized access by children. As 2024 marked the first time that the parents of a school shooter were convicted of homicide charges after enabling their teenage son to access to a gun, it is conceivable that the United States will take further steps to regulate responsible gun ownership and ensure the safety of its young citizens.
