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January 26, 2023
Active Shooter Facts
A comprehensive resource of active shooter and mass shooting facts and statistics.
Active shooter and mass shooting incidents have become more common in the United States in recent years, with some perpetrators openly expressing their intent to inflict large numbers of casualties. This resource provides a comprehensive overview of active shooter and mass shooting facts and statistics, as well as guidance on how to respond if such an incident occurs.
Active Shooter and Mass Shooting Facts
Active shooter incidents can occur anywhere and at any time, knowing some key active shooter facts and statistics will help you better prepare and could potentially save your life.
Active Shooter Definition
The FBI defines an active shooter as one or more individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area. Implicit in this definition is the shooter’s use of a firearm. The active aspect of the definition inherently implies the ongoing nature of an incident, and thus the potential for the response to affect the outcome.
Most U.S. federal government agencies define an active shooter as “an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area.”
Total Number of Active Shooter Incidents
For the period 2017–2021, active shooter incident data reveals an upward trend: the number of active shooter incidents identified in 2021 represents a 52.5% increase from 2020 and a 96.8% increase from 2017. From 2017 to 2021 the annual amount of active shooter incidents is as follows:
- 2017: 31
- 2018: 30
- 2019: 30
- 2020: 40
- 2021: 61
Source: FBI: Active Shooter Incidents in the United States
Across the 61 active shooter incidents in 2021, two law enforcement officers were killed, and five law enforcement officers were wounded. The overall total for law enforcement officers killed and wounded (seven) is equal to the number killed and wounded in 2017.76 Those are the lowest figures in five years (2017–2021).
Most Popular Month for Active Shooter Incidents / Mass Shootings:
In 2020 and 2021, the Month of June had the highest number of active shooter/mass shooting incidents. Whereas, December had the least amount of active shooter incidents. Below is a breakdown of the number of active shooter incidents by month in 2021:
- January: 3
- February: 2
- March: 5
- April: 10
- May: 5
- June: 12
- July: 4
- August: 7
- September: 6
- October: 2
- November: 4
- December: 1
Source: FBI: Active Shooter Incidents in the United States
States with the Most Active Shooter Incidents / Mass Shootings
In 2021, there were 61 active shooter incidents across 30 states. California had the most mass shootings in 2021 with six total incidents. Georgia and Texas had the second most mass shootings in 2021 with five incidents each. Colorado and Florida tied for 3rd with a total of four mass shootings in 2021.
Source: FBI: Active Shooter Incidents in the United States
Active Shooter Frequency
- Studies indicate that the rate at which public mass active shooter incidents occur has tripled since 2011.
- In 2017 there was a total of 30 active shooter incidents in the United States.
- Between 1982 and 2011, a mass active shooter incident occurred roughly once every 200 days.
- Between 2011 and 2014 that rate has accelerated greatly with at least one mass shooting occurring every 64 days in the United States.
- Although the number of public mass shootings has increased substantially, there has been an approximately 50% decrease in firearm homicides in the nation overall since 1993.
Source: Rate of Mass Shootings
Active Shooter Casualties Per Year
- From 2000 to 2017 the total number of active shooter casualties was 2,217.
- 2000 had the least number of casualties that resulted from active shooter incidents with a total of 7 casualties.
- 2017 had the highest number of casualties that resulted from active shooter incidents with a total of 729 casualties.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Deadliest Active Shooter Incidents in United States History
The following active shooter incidents are the deadliest to have occurred in modern U.S. history (1949 to present). If the shooter was killed or died by suicide during the incident, that death is not included in the total.
- October 1, 2017 - 58 killed, 500+ injured
Mandalay Bay Shooting (Las Vegas, Nevada) - June 12, 2016 - 49 killed, 50 injured
Pluse Nightclub Shooting (Orlando, Florida) - April 16, 2007 - 32 killed, 32+ injured*
Virginia Tech Shooting (Blacksburg, Virginia) - December 14, 2012 - 27 killed, 27+ injured*
Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting (Newtown, Connecticut) - November 5, 2017 - 26 killed, 20 injured
Sutherland Springs Church Shooting (Sutherland Springs, Texas) - October 16, 1991 - 23 killed, 27 injured
Luby's Massacre (Killeen, Texas) - July 18, 1984 - 21 killed, 19 injured
San Ysidro McDonald's Massacre (San Diego, California) - August 1, 1966 - 18 killed, 31 injured
University of Texas Tower Shooting (Austin, Texas) - February 14, 2018 - 17 killed, 17 injured
Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting (Parkland, Florida) - December 2, 2015 - 14 killed, 24 injured
2015 San Bernardino Attack (San Bernardino, California) - August 20, 1986 - 14 killed, 6 injured
Edmond Post Office Shooting (Edmond, Oklahoma) - November 5, 2009 - 13 + unborn child killed, 32 injured
Fort Hood Shooting (Fort Hood, Texas) - April 3, 2009 - 13 killed, 4 injured
Binghamton Shootings (Binghamton, New York) - April 20, 1999 - 13 killed, 24 injured
Columbine High School Massacre (Columbine, Colorado) - February 18, 1983 - 13 killed, 1 injured
Wah Mee Massacre (Seattle, Washington)
Source: Deadliest Shootings in Modern US History Fast Facts
Time of Day for Active Shooter Incidents
The graph below presents the times of day that active shooting events took place. The majority of active shootings took place between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Although, as the graph shows, active shootings have occurred at all times of day.
Length of Active Shooter Incidents
At least 66.9% of all active shooter incidents ended before police arrived.
Of the incidents in which the duration was known:
- 69.8% of active shooter incidents ended in 5 minutes or less.
- 36.5% of active shooter incidents ended in 2 minutes or less.
Source Federal Bureau of Investigation
Frequently Targeted Locations
- 42% of active shooter incidents occurred at a business.
- 21% of active shooter incidents occurred at an educational institution.
- 14% of active shooter incidents occurred in an open space.
- 10% of active shooter incidents occurred at a government owned property.
- 5% of active shooter incidents occurred at a home or residence.
- 4% of active shooter incidents occurred at a church or place of worship.
- 4% of active shooter incidents occurred at a hospital or health care facility.
- 0.4% of active shooter incidents occurred at "other" locations.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2017
Type of Weapon Used in Mass Shootings
In most cases, the active shooter will use a firearm. In rare cases, the active shooter may use other weapons and/or even improved explosive devices that cause more injuries and act as an impediment to law enforcement and emergency responders. Some of the improvised explosive devices are homemade and may detonate immediately or may have delayed fuses. No attempt should be made to go near or handle these devices.
- 56% of active shooters used a pistol.
- 27% of active shooters used a rifle.
- 14% of active shooters used a shotgun.
- 3% of active shooters used an unknown firearm.
Source: Active Shooter Events by Weapon Type
Weapons Used in Mass Shootings
More than 1 out of every 3 active shooters used more than one weapon to cause destruction.
- 38% of active shooters used more than one weapon.
- 61% of active shooters used only one weapon.
- 1% of active shooters used an unknown number of weapons.
Source: Characteristics of Active Shootings
How Active Shooter Incidents End
An active shooter incident will typically end in one of four ways:
- The shooter commits suicide.
- The shooter and law enforcement engage in a firefight.
- Unarmed citizens successfully restrained the shooter.
- Armed citizens exchange gunfire and take out the threat.
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