Between 2016 and 2020, educational institutions were the third most likely victim in the event of a mass shooting, according to a five-year study by the U.S. Secret Service’s National Threat Assessment Center. And based on the year we’re having so far, that’s no surprise.
We’ve seen nearly one incident involving a firearm going off on school grounds a day in 2023 already, and it’s still January. According to data available on the “K-12 School Shooting Database,” as of today—January 30—there have been at least 28 incidents. This number alone exceeds the total number of shootings for the entirety of 2012.
Between 2016 and 2020, there has been a total of 173 mass shootings in the U.S. Among those, 13 have occurred within educational institutions, making this sector the third-most targeted.
“The prevention of mass violence in America remains as critical as ever,” said U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle in a statement. “Far too often, communities and families have been devastated by the impact of these tragedies, and public safety professionals continue to work toward preventing future attacks.”
Implications
According to the report, school safety is everyone’s responsibility. Here are some ways administrators and school staff can be on the lookout for unusual behavior to mitigate the threat of a school shooting:
- Promote bystander reporting and responding to reports: 75% of shooters showed signs of unusual behavior and communication, according to the report. For example, the shooter responsible for the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting conducted research specifically into previous mass shootings.
- Implement strategies for resolving interpersonal grievances: In half of the incidents outlined in the study, the shooters were motivated by personal grievances such as bullying or family troubles. Building an understanding and awareness in this area will help administrators to develop and implement management strategies.
- Monitor social media: Nearly 25% of shooters were found to have brought their threats to the internet in some form or fashion. This finding reveals the increasing importance to monitor and observe communication online and on social media.
- Support students emotionally: Almost every attacker highlighted in the study faced at least one substantial stressor in their lives within five years of their attack. Most of them occurred within one year. Schools should look into advancing and bolstering mental health services and staff available to students.
“Everyone in the community plays a role in violence prevention,” said National Threat Assessment Center Chief Dr. Lina Alathari in a statement. “The latest NTAC report provides an unprecedented analysis to support our public safety partners and affirms that targeted violence is preventable if communities have the right information and resources to recognize warning signs and intervene.”
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