U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
A Study of Active Shooter
Incidents in the United States
Between 2000 and 2013
September 16, 2013
Washington Navy Yard,
Washington, D.C.
Unclassified
Unclassified
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U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
A Study of Active Shooter
Incidents in the United States
Between 2000 and 2013
September 16, 2013 Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. Unclassified
Acknowledgments This publication is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce this publication in whole or in part is granted. While permission to reprint is not necessary, the citation should be: Blair, J. Pete, and Schweit, Katherine W. (2014). A Study of Active Shooter Incidents, 2000 - 2013. Texas State University and Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington D.C. 2014.
Special Acknowledgments are extended to several individuals who provided research and editing assistance. Particular appreciation is extended to the primary research team of Lieutenant Commander David Knoff of the California Highway Patrol, Deputy Dennis Jahnke of the Hennepin County (Minnesota) Sheriff’s Office, FBI Honors Intern Jessica Seay, and FBI Supervisory Intelligence Analyst Deborah Cryan. M. Hunter Martaindale, M.S., of the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center at Texas State University (TXST) provided critical analysis as part of the primary research team, contributing input that assisted the team in understanding the purposes and research parameters used in a previously published active shooter study released by TXST. In addition, the following employees of the FBI are recognized for their research assistance: LaTasha Houston, Della Mays-Prince, Alvin Thibodeaux, Stephanie Preshlock, and Kerry Riley. Appre- ciation also is extended to FBI employees Kathryn Crotts and Brian Jackson, and to Jeffrey R. McCrehan and Andrew C. Ames for their final editing expertise.
Introduction In 2013, the president signed into law the Investigative Assistance for Violent Crimes Act of 2012, which granted the attorney general the authority to assist in the investiga- tion of “violent acts and shootings occurring in a place of public use” and in the investi- gation of “mass killings and attempted mass killings at the request of an appropriate law enforcement official of a state or political subdivision.”^1
To provide further clarity on these threats, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 2014 initiated a study of “active shooter” incidents 2. The goal of the FBI study is to provide federal, state, and local law enforcement with data so they can better understand how to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from these incidents.
Active shooter is a term used by law enforcement to describe a situation in which a shoot- ing is in progress and an aspect of the crime may affect the protocols used in responding to and reacting at the scene of the incident. Unlike a defined crime, such as a murder or mass killing, the active aspect inherently implies that both law enforcement personnel and citizens have the potential to affect the outcome of the event based upon their responses.
1 Investigative Assistance for Violent Crimes Act of 2012, 28 USC 530C(b)(1)(M)(i). 2 The FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting system does not capture data specific to active shooters but rather is data derived from more than 18,000 city, university/college, country, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies that voluntarily report monthly on criminal activity in their jurisdictions.
September 16, 2013 Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C.
Photo: Shane T. McCoy/U.S. Marshals
The agreed-upon definition of an active shooter by U.S. government agencies—including the White House, U.S. Department of Justice/FBI, U.S. Department of Education, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency—is “an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area.”^3 Implicit in this definition is that the subject’s criminal actions involve the use of firearms.^4
For purposes of its study, the FBI extended this definition to include individuals, because some incidents involved two or more shooters. Though the federal definition includes the word “confined,” the FBI excluded this word in its study, as the term confined could omit incidents that occurred outside a building.
Whether inside or out, these incidents still posed a threat to both law enforcement and the citizens they seek to protect.^5
This is not a study of mass killings or mass shootings, but rather a study of a specific type of shooting situation law enforcement and the public may face. Incidents identified in this study do not encompass all gun-related situations; therefore caution should be taken when using this information without placing it in context. Specifically, shootings that resulted from gang or drug violence—pervasive, long-tracked, criminal acts that could also affect the public— were not included in this study. In addition, other gun-related shootings were not included when those incidents appeared generally not to have put others in peril (e.g., the accidental discharge of a firearm in a school building or a person who chose to publicly commit suicide in a parking lot). The study does not encompass all mass killings or shootings in public places and therefore is limited in its scope.^6 Nonetheless, it was undertaken to provide clarity and data of value to both law enforcement and citizens as they seek to stop these threats and save lives during active shooter incidents.^7
As a result, the FBI identified 160 active shooter incidents that occurred in the United States between 2000 and 2013.^8 Though additional active shooter incidents may have occurred during this time period, the FBI is confident this research captured the vast majority of incidents falling within the search criteria. To gather information for this study, researchers relied on official police records (where available), FBI records, and open sources.^9 The time span researched was intended to provide substantive results to aid in preparedness and response efforts. This study is not intended to explore all facets of active shooter incidents, but rather is intended to provide a baseline to guide federal, state, tribal, and campus law enforcement along with other first responders, corporations, educators, and the general public to a better understanding of active shooter incidents.
3 White House, http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/developing_eops_for_houses_of_worship_final.pdf; Department of Justice/ FBI, http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cirg/active-shooter-and-mass-casualty-incidents; Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency, http://www.dhs.gov/active-shooter-preparedness and http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/33597; Department of Educa- tion, http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oese/oshs/rems-k-12-guide.pdf. 4 Incidents involving only knives, vehicles, and other weapons were not part of this study. 5 See Appendix B for the full methodology used to select incidents. 6 Other private and public entities have studied mass casualty incidents, murder rates, and school or workplace violence. (e.g., Campus Attacks: Targeted Violence Affecting Institutions of Higher Education, a joint publication of U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Department of Education, and Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2010, http://rems.ed.gov/docs/CampusAttacks_201004.pdf). 7 Limited details on the shooters are included in this study. In 2015, the FBI Behavioral Threat Assessment Center will research shooter pre-attack behav- ioral indicators with a focus on findings that will enhance prevention methods. 8 See Appendix A for a summary of incidents examined in this study. 9 Researchers relied on 104 police department records, after action reports, shooting commission reports, open sources, and FBI resources.
CASUALTIES
■ Casualties (victims killed and wounded) totaled 1,043. The individual shooters are not included in this total. ■ A total of 486 individuals were killed. ■ A total of 557 individuals were wounded.^11 ■ In 64 incidents (40.0%), the crime would have fallen within the federal definition of “mass killing”—defined as “three or more” killed—under the new federal statute.
INCIDENTS WITH THE HIGHEST CASUALTY COUNTS:
■ Cinemark Century 16 Theater in Aurora, Colorado: 70 (12 killed, 58 wounded), July 20, 2012. ■ Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia: 49 (32 killed, 17 wounded), April 16, 2007.^12 ■ Ft. Hood Soldier Readiness Processing Center in Ft. Hood, Texas: 45 (13 killed, 32 wounded), November 5, 2009. ■ Sandy Hook Elementary School and a residence in Newtown, Connecticut: 29 (27 killed, 2 wounded), December 14, 2012.
SHOOTERS
■ All but 2 incidents involved a single shooter.^13 ■ In at least 9 incidents, the shooter first shot and killed a family member(s) in a residence before moving to a more public location to continue shooting.^14 ■ In at least 6 incidents, the shooters were female.^15 ■ In 64 incidents (40.0%), the shooters committed suicide; 54 shooters did so at the scene of the crime. ■ At least 5 shooters from 4 incidents remain at large.^16
11 A handful of those counted as wounded were not injured by gunfire but rather suffered injuries incidental to the event, such as being hit by flying objects/shattered glass, or falling while running. These were included in the casualty count when research may not have easily allowed for the type of injury to be discerned. This does not account for all those wounded in this fashion, to include those suffering any mental or emotional trauma that resulted in potential medical treatment. 12 Six additional students were injured after they climbed out of a second floor window in Norris Hall but are not included in the study’s tally of those wounded because they could be easily discerned from those wounded by the shooter. 13 House Party in South Jamaica, New York, August 27, 2011; Streets of Tulsa, Oklahoma, April 6, 2012. (See Appendix A). 14 Amko Trading Store, January 9, 2001; Red Lake High School, March 21, 2005; Orange High School and Residence, August 30 2006; Residence, Latah County Courthouse, and First Presbyterian Church, May 19, 2007; Coffee and Geneva Counties, Alabama, March 10, 2009; Gainesville, Florida, October 4, 2010; Sandy Hook Elementary School and Residence, December 14, 2012; Jacksonville, North Carolina, and Brady, Texas, May 26, 2013; Santa Monica College and Residence, June 7, 2013. 15 Laidlaw Transit Services Maintenance Yard, April 23, 2001; Santa Barbara U.S. Postal Processing and Distribution Center, January 30, 2006; Louisiana Technical College, February 8, 2008; Shelby Center, University of Alabama, February 12, 2010; Publix Super Market, March 30, 2010; Kraft Foods Factory, September 9, 2010. 16 Burger King and Huddle House, November 22, 2005; Club LT Tranz, July 25, 2009; Washington, D.C. Department of Public Works, October 13, 2010; House Party in South Jamaica, New York, August 27, 2011.
Findings In this study, the FBI identified 160 active shooter incidents, noting they occurred in small and large towns, in urban and rural areas, and in 40 of 50 states and the District of Columbia. Though incidents occurred primarily in commerce and educational environments (70.0%), they also occurred on city streets, on military and other government properties, and in private residences, health care facilities, and houses of worship. The shooters victimized young and old, male and female, family members, and people of all races, cultures, and religions.
The findings establish an increasing frequency of incidents annually. During the first 7 years included in the study, an average of 6.4 incidents occurred annually. In the last 7 years of the study, that average increased to 16.4 incidents annually. This trend reinforces the need to remain vigilant regarding prevention efforts and for law enforcement to aggressively train to better respond to—and help communities recover from—active shooter incidents.
The findings also reflect the damage that can occur in a matter of minutes. In 64 incidents where the duration of the incident could be ascertained, 44 (69.0%) of 64 incidents ended in 5 minutes or less, with 23 ending in 2 minutes or less. Even when law enforcement was present or able to respond within minutes, civilians often had to make life and death decisions, and, therefore, should be engaged in training and discussions on decisions they may face. 17
17 In 6 incidents (and, in addition, at least 4 schools), officers were on the scene when the shooting began.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2014
A Study of 160 Active Shooter Incidents in the United States Between 2000 - 2013: Incidents Annually
At least 25 (15.6%) of the 160 incidents involved shootings at more than one location. Several casualties involved family members or individuals who had a close personal relation- ship with the shooter. In at least 15 (9.4%) of the 160 incidents, the shooters targeted family members, resulting in the deaths of 20 and the wounding of 1.^20 In 9 of these incidents, or about half, the shooters then moved on to another location and continued shooting.
Of note, male shooters also acted violently against women with whom they had or once had a romantic relationship. In 16 (10.0%) of the 160 incidents, the shooters targeted current, estranged, or former wives as well as current or former girlfriends. In 12 incidents, the women were killed;^21 in 3 incidents, the women sustained significant injuries but survived;^22 and in 1 incident, the shooter could not find the woman.^23 While perpetrating this violence, an additional 42 people were killed and another 28 were wounded.
20 Amko Trading Store, January 9, 2001; Gold Leaf Nurseries, July 28, 2003; Red Lake High School, March 21, 2005; Orange High School and Residence, August 30 2006; Residence, Latah County Courthouse, and First Presbyterian Church, May 19, 2007; Coffee and Geneva Counties, Alabama, March 10, 2009; Family Dental Care, July 1, 2009; Legacy Metrolab, November 10, 2009; Residence in Brooksville, Florida, January 14, 2010; Yoyito Café, June 6, 2010; Gainesville, Florida, October 4, 2010; Azana Day Salon, October 21, 2012: Sandy Hook Elementary School and Residence, December 14, 2012; Jacksonville, North Carolina, and Brady, Texas, May 26, 2013; Santa Monica College and Residence, June 7, 2013. (See Appendix A). 21 Amko Trading Store, January 9, 2001; Gold Leaf Nurseries, July 28, 2003; Parking Lots in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, October 7, 2005; Residence, Latah County Courthouse, and First Presbyterian Church, May 19, 2007; Residence in Crandon, Wisconsin, October 7, 2007; Family Dental Care, July 1, 2009; Legacy Metrolab, November 10, 2009; Yoyito Café, June 6, 2010; Salon Meritage, October 12, 2011; Azana Day Salon, October 21, 2012; Pinewood Village Apartments, April 21, 2013; Jacksonville, North Carolina, and Brady, Texas, May 26, 2013. 22 Emcore Corporation, July 12, 2010; Copley Township Neighborhood, Ohio, August 7, 2011; Las Dominicanas M&M Hair Salon, October 18, 2012. 23 Essex Elementary School, August 24, 2006.
Key ■ Killed: 486 ■ Wounded: 557 Total: 1,
Total: 7
43
29
51
7
12
11
29
14
24
23
69
29 34
65
37
32 52
90
44 42
118
49
78
57
23
27
6
22
18
31
A Study of 160 Active Shooter Incidents in the United States Between 2000 - 2013: Broken Down by Casualty Type; Killed or Wounded
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2014
Resolutions The majority of the 160 incidents (90 [56.3%]) ended on the shooter’s initiative— sometimes when the shooter committed suicide or stopped shooting, and other times when the shooter fled the scene.
There were at least 25 incidents where the shooter fled the scene before police arrived. In 4 additional incidents, at least 5 shooters fled the scene and were still at large at the time the study results were released.
In other incidents, it was a combination of actions by citizens and/or law enforcement that ended the shootings. In at least 65 (40.6%) of the 160 incidents, citizen engagement or the shooter committing suicide ended the shooting at the scene before law enforcement arrived. Of those: ■ In 37 incidents (23.1%), the shooter committed suicide at the scene before police arrived. ■ In 21 incidents (13.1%), the situation ended after unarmed citizens safely and success- fully restrained the shooter. In 2 of those incidents,^24 3 off-duty law enforcement officers were present and assisted. ■ ■ Of note, 11 of the incidents involved unarmed principals, teachers, other school staff and students who confronted shooters to end the threat (9 of those shooters were students). ■ In 5 incidents (3.1%), the shooting ended after armed individuals who were not law enforcement personnel exchanged gunfire with the shooters. In these incidents, 3 shoot- ers were killed, 1 was wounded, and 1 committed suicide. ■ ■ The individuals involved in these shootings included a citizen with a valid firearms permit and armed security guards at a church, an airline counter, a federally managed museum, and a school board meeting.^25 ■ In 2 incidents (1.3%), 2 armed, off-duty police officers engaged the shooters, result- ing in the death of the shooters. In 1 of those incidents, the off-duty officer assisted a responding officer to end the threat.^26
Even when law enforcement arrived quickly, many times the shooter still chose to end his life. In 17 (10.6%) of the 160 incidents, the shooter committed suicide at the scene after law enforcement arrived but before officers could act.
In 45 (28.1%) of the 160 incidents, law enforcement and the shooter exchanged gunfire. Of those 45 incidents, the shooter was killed at the scene in 21, killed at another location in 4, wounded in 9, committed suicide in 9, and surrendered in 2.
24 Santana High School, March 5, 2001; Appalachian School of Law, January 16, 2002. (See Appendix A). 25 Player’s Bar and Grill, May 25, 2008; Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport, July 4, 2002; Youth with a Mission Training Center/New Life Church, December 9, 2007; United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, June 10, 2009; Panama City School Board Meeting, December 14, 2010, Shooter wounded. 26 AT&T Wireless, May 27, 2010; Trolley Square Mall, February 12, 2007.
In 6 instances
the shooter
was female;
all others
were male.
The study results identified 73 (45.6%) of 160 incidents that occurred in areas of commerce. These included businesses open to pedestrian traffic (44 [27.5%]), businesses closed to pedestrian traffic (23 [14.3%]), and malls (6 [3.8%]). These distinctions were made in order to determine whether the public was more at risk in areas where pedestrian traffic was likely.
Educational environments were identified as the second-largest location grouping ( [24.4%]). These were further broken down as those occurring in schools (27 [16.9%], including two school board meetings) and IHEs (12 [7.5%]).
Other incidents, in descending order, were located in: ■ Open spaces (15 [9.4%]); ■ Government properties (16 [10.0%]); ■ ■ Other (non-military) government properties (11 [6.9%]) ■ ■ Military properties (5 [3.1%]) ■ Residences (7 [4.4%]); ■ Houses of worship (6 [3.8%]); and ■ Health care facilities (4 [2.5%]).
Businesses, Open to pedestrian traffic, 27.5% (44)
Businesses, Closed to pedestrian traffic, 14.4% (23)
Malls, 3.8% (6)
A Study of 160 Active Shooter Incidents in the United States Between 2000 - 2013: Location Categories
OPEN SPACE, 9.4% 15
GOVERNMENT
COMMERCE
RESIDENCES, 4.4% 7 HEALTH CARE FACILITIES, 2.5% 4
HOUSES OF WORSHIP, 3.8% 6
Military, 3.1% (5)
Other Government Properties, 6.9% (11)
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2014
COMMERCE,
EDUCATION,
GOVERNMENT,
Schools (Pre-K to 12), 16.9% (27)
Institutions of Higher Education, 7.5% (12)
EDUCATION
Breakdown by location:
COMMERCE AREAS
Businesses Open to Pedestrian Traffic The 44 incidents that occurred in business environments generally open to pedestrian traffic resulted in 124 people killed (including 2 company co-owners in 1 incident) and 181 people wounded (including 1 manager). The most incidents occurred on Tuesdays (10), with others occurring on Fridays (9), Mondays (6), Wednesdays (6), Thursdays (5), Sundays (5), and Saturdays (3).
The majority of the shooters in these incidents were not employed at the location. Specifically: ■ 30 shooters (68.2%) were not employed by the businesses, though 7 had a relationship with at least 1 current employee; ■ 12 shooters (27.3%), including 1 woman, were employed or previously employed by the businesses (8 current employees [2 possibly facing termination, 1 terminated the day of the shooting] and 4 former employees); and ■ 2 or more shooters from 2 incidents fled the scene and remain at large, so their connec- tion to the incident location is unknown.
These incidents ended when: ■ 19 shooters committed suicide (11 did so at the scene before police arrived, 3 did so at the scene after police arrived, and 5 shooters fled the scene and committed suicide at another location); ■ 9 shooters were apprehended at the scene (1 after being restrained by a citizen); ■ 8 shooters fled and were apprehended by law enforcement at another location; ■ 4 shooters were killed by law enforcement (2 at the scene); ■ 2 shooters fled and were not apprehended; ■ 1 shooter was killed by an off-duty law enforcement officer at the scene; and ■ 1 shooter was killed at the scene by a citizen with a valid firearms permit.
Businesses Closed to Pedestrian Traffic The 23 incidents that occurred in business environments generally closed to pedestrian traffic resulted in 69 individuals killed and 73 wounded. In 12 incidents, supervisors/manag- ers and owners of companies were killed (10) or wounded (5). The most incidents occurred on Wednesdays (7), with others occurring on Tuesdays (5), Thursdays (4), Mondays (3), Fridays (2), and a Sunday (1).
These incidents almost exclusively involved employees. In all, 22 of the 23 shooters, including 2 females, were employed or previously employed at the business. The sole shooter not employed by a business had a relationship with a current employee. The 22 shooters who were employees included: ■ 14 current employees; ■ 4 employees fired the day of the shooting; ■ 3 former employees; and ■ 1 suspended employee.
of the 160
incidents,
occurred in an
environment
related to
commerce.
73
IHEs The 12 IHE shootings resulted in 60 individuals killed and 60 individuals wounded. The shooters, 2 of whom were female, ranged in age from 18 to 62. The shooters included 5 former students, 4 current students, 2 employees, and 1 patient visiting a medical center. The most incidents occurred on Fridays (5) with others occurring on Mondays (2), Thurs- days (2), a Sunday (1), a Tuesday (1), and a Wednesday (1).
These incidents ended when: ■ 5 shooters were apprehended by police at the scene (1 after 2 off-duty officers and a citizen restrained him, and 1 after a being restrained by an off-duty mall security officer); ■ 4 shooters committed suicide at the scene (3 before police arrived, 1 after); ■ 2 shooters were killed by police at the scene; and ■ 1 shooter fled the scene and was apprehended by police at another location.
Schools The 27 school incidents resulted in 57 individuals killed and 60 individuals wounded. In 2 of the incidents, an adult fired on school board members during a board meeting. Of the remaining 25 incidents, 14 occurred in a high school (HS), 6 occurred in a middle school or junior high school (MS), 4 occurred in an elementary school (ES), and 1 occurred at a school including grades PreK-12.
Where shootings occurred inside buildings, 14 (51.9%) took place in school classrooms and hallways (9 HS, 3 MS, 1 ES, 1 PreK-12), 3 in the school cafeteria (2 HS, 1 MS), 2 in school administrative offices, 2 in school board meeting rooms, and 2 in the school when no classes were in session. An additional 4 incidents were initiated outside (1 HS, 2 MS, 1 ES), including 2 where the shooters were in vehicles.
In addition to the many student victims, the casualties included school employees, resulting in at least 14 killed (6 teachers, 5 five principals or assistant principals, and 3 other staff members) and another 16 wounded (9 teachers, 5 administrators, and 2 staff members).
In a majority of HS and MS incidents, the shooter was a student at the school; this was the case in 12 of 14 HS shootings and 5 of 6 MS shootings. Incidents at elementary schools did not involve the actions of a student.
School Board Meetings The 2 incidents at school board meetings resulted in 1 individual wounded. The shoot- ers were 56- and 58-year-old males. One shooter committed suicide after an exchange of gunfire with the school district’s armed security guard, and the other shooter was arrested by police after other school administrators wrestled him to the ground.
of the shooters
ultimately
committed
suicide.
64
High Schools The 14 HS incidents resulted in 21 killed (including 5 school employees) and 40 wounded (including 11 school employees). The shooters ages ranged from 14 to 19. All but 2 shoot- ers were current students at the affected school; one was a former student and the other was a high school student at another school. The most incidents occurred on Mondays (5), followed by Wednesdays (4), Thursdays (2), Fridays (2), and a Tuesday (1).
These incidents ended when: ■ 10 shooters were apprehended at the scene (2 by responding police officers, 7 after being initially restrained by school employees [including 1 incident where students assisted], and 1 by an off-duty police officer); ■ 3 shooters committed suicide at the scene (1 before police arrived, 2 after); and ■ 1 shooter fled and committed suicide at another location.
Middle Schools The 6 MS incidents resulted in 2 killed (2 school employees) and 6 wounded. The 5 MS shooters, who were students at the affected school, ranged in age from 12 to 15; the other shooter was 32. The incidents occurred on Mondays (3), Tuesdays (2) and a Thursday (1).
These incidents ended when: ■ 3 shooters were apprehended by police after being restrained by school employees; ■ 2 shooters committed suicide at the scene before police arrived; and ■ 1 shooter was apprehended by police at the scene.
Elementary Schools The 4 ES incidents resulted in 29 killed (7 school employees) and 8 wounded (5 school employees). The shooters ranged in age from 20 to 48. None of the shooters worked at the schools, though 1 was a former teacher and 1 had a relationship with an individual at 1 of the schools. The shootings occurred on Fridays (2), a Wednesday (1), and a Thursday (1).
These incidents ended when: ■ 3 shooters were apprehended at the scene (1 after being restrained by citizens); and ■ 1 shooter committed suicide at the scene after police arrived.
Pre-K Through 12th Grade School A single incident occurred at a PreK-12 school resulting in 5 killed and 5 wounded. The incident, which occurred on a Monday, involved a 32-year-old shooter who committed suicide while law enforcement was on the scene.
In all but 2
of the 160
incidents,
the shooters
chose to
act alone.
The 5 incidents that occurred on military property resulted in 27 killed and 43 wounded (including 5 law enforcement officers). The shooters ranged in age from 23 to 63. Most incidents occurred on Mondays (3) with the rest occurring on Thursdays (2). In all, police killed 3 shooters at the scene and apprehended 2 shooters at the scene. Two shooters had prior military service, 2 shooters had no military experience, and 1 shooter was an active duty member of the military.
RESIDENCES
The 7 incidents that occurred solely at a residence resulted in 32 people killed (including 1 law enforcement officer) and 17 wounded. The ages of the shooters ranged from 20 to 55, excluding 2 additional unidentified shooters who remain at large. Most incidents occurred on Sundays (3) and Saturdays (2), with the rest occurring on a Thursday (1) and a Friday (1). In all, 3 shooters were killed by police, 2 committed suicide after police arrived, and 2 were apprehended. One incident involved 3 shooters, and 2 of those shoot- ers remain at large. 32
HOUSES OF WORSHIP
The 6 incidents in houses of worship resulted in 21 people killed and 27 wounded (including 1 law enforcement officer). The ages of the shooters ranged from 24 to 69. Most incidents occurred on Sundays (3), with the rest occurring on a Tuesday (1), a Friday (1), and a Saturday (1). In all, 3 shooters were apprehended (2 of whom were restrained by citizens until police arrived) and 3 committed suicide at the scene (2 before police arrived and 1 after).
HEALTH CARE FACILITIES
The 4 incidents in health care facilities resulted in 10 killed and 10 wounded (including 2 law enforcement officers). The ages of the shooters ranged from 38 to 51. All incidents occurred on different days of the week: a Monday (1), a Tuesday (1), a Saturday (1), and a Sunday (1). In all, 2 shooters committed suicide at the scene (1 before police arrived, and 1 after), 1 was apprehended at the scene, and 1 was killed by police at the scene.
32 An additional 7 shootings took place at a residence before the shooter moved on to another more public location. In those instances, a shooter killed a close friend or family member before driving to the location where the majority of the casualties occurred. These incidents, therefore, were coded as having occurred within the other locations (e.g. businesses open to pedestrian traffic, schools, houses of worship).
In 9 incidents,
the shooter
first shot and
killed family
members in
a residence
before moving
to a more
public location
to continue
shooting.
Conclusion The FBI initiated this study to add to the resources available to law enforcement and others who must consider their best course of action to prepare for, respond to, and recover from active shooter incidents. Using the same criteria over a 14-year span, the FBI sought to determine whether the number of active shooter incidents had changed, concluding the trend over the study period showed a steady rise. In the first half of the years studied, the average annual number of incidents was 6.4, but that average rose in the second half of the study to 16.4, an average of more than one incident per month.
Of the 160 incidents studied, 64 (40.0%) would have met the criteria to fall under the federal statute passed in 2012 which defines mass killing as three or more killed in a single incident. Of the 64, 39 of these mass killings occurred within the final 7 years studied.
Study results also indicate that, of the 11 defined location categories, the majority of incidents—45.6% of the 160—occurred in an environment related to commerce. The second most common incident locations were in educational environments (24.4%), and the study results established that some of these incidents involved some of the highest casualty numbers.
Study results provided added clarity on instances where law enforcement appeared to be most at risk when responding to the scene. For example, though law enforcement responded to a large number of school incidents, no law enforcement officers were killed or wounded when responding to a school incident. However, in 45 of the 160 incidents where law enforcement did engage a shooter, law enforcement suffered casualties in 21 (46.7%) of the incidents, resulting in 9 officers killed and 28 wounded.
Significantly, 10 of the officers were wounded in gunfights categorized as occurring in open spaces where the shooters were moving through streets and between buildings. In addition, 3 of the officers were wounded on military property, and another 3 were killed and 9 wounded in gunfights on other government properties. Based on these study results, therefore, the FBI will no longer use the term “confined” as part of the “active shooter” definition.
Though this study did not focus on the motivation of the shooters, the study did identify some shooter characteristics. In all but 2 of the incidents, the shooter chose to act alone. Only 6 female shooters were identified. Shooter ages as a whole showed no pattern. However, some patterns were seen in incident sub-groups. For example, 12 of 14 shooters in high school shootings were students at the schools, and 5 of the 6 shooters at middle schools were students at the schools.
In addition, research results identified some location categories where victim targets were more readily identifiable, in part because of the shooters’ connections to the locations. For example, in businesses generally closed to pedestrian traffic, 22 of the 23 shooters were employees or former employees of the involved company. In other instances, the location category appeared less significant than the victims targeted. For example, in 15 (9.3%) of the 160 incidents, the shooter targeted family members. And in 15 (9.3%) of the 160 incidents, the shooter targeted his current, estranged, or former spouse or his current or former girlfriend.