2019 K-12 NSSPA Active Shooter Study
An analysis of 112 active shooter incidents at K-12 Schools from 1985-2019 in which shots were fired
We examined 112 active shooter incidents at K-12 Schools from 1985-2019 in which shots were fired. These incidents occurred during school hours or during a school-sponsored event after hours. An active shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area.
ON AVERAGE
From 2020 to 2024, the number of school shootings in the United States has varied significantly each year, reflecting a troubling increase in these incidents over time. The data underscores the persistent and growing problem of gun violence in U.S. schools, with each year since 2020 witnessing a significant number of shootings, despite efforts to address the issue (USAFacts) (K-12 School Shooting Database) (Security.org).
There is a school shooting every 4 school days.
Someone is shot every 60 seconds.
The attacks last 8 minutes.
CURRENT DAY
2020: The COVID-19 pandemic led to a reduction in school shootings, with many schools closed or operating remotely for much of the year. However, data on the exact number of shootings varies depending on the source and criteria used to define a school shooting.
2021: As schools reopened, there was a noticeable rise in school shootings, with sources reporting around 140 incidents that year. The reopening of schools led to an increase in opportunities for such incidents to occur.
2022: This year saw the highest number of school shootings in recent history, with approximately 327 incidents. This year marked a peak, with shootings resulting in 81 deaths and 269 injuries.
2023: The upward trend continued, with 348 school shootings recorded. These incidents led to 249 injuries and fatalities, reflecting the growing frequency and severity of such events.
2024 (Up To May): By May 2024, there had already been 144 shooting incidents at K-12 schools, resulting in 107 injuries and fatalities. This indicates that 2024 is on track to be another year with a high number of school shootings.
THE ATTACK LASTS 8 MINUTES
The average duration of incidents (without hostages) = 8 minutes
During that time, someone is shot every 60 seconds on average.
Source: Riedman, David, and Desmond O’Neill. “CHDS – K-12 School Shooting Database.” Center for Homeland Defense and Security www.chds.us/ssdb
Incident durations not included in the source material was further researched by the NSSPA. The duration of the incidents studied are an approximation based upon individual analysis and research.
Shooter Information
General
Only One Shooter = 95%
Two Shooters = 5%
Committed/Attempted Suicide = 25%
Average Age = 19
Affiliation With School
Student or Former Student = 83%
Student = 67%
Former Student = 17%
No Relation = 10%
Unknown = 3%
Teacher = 2%
Relationship With Staff = 1%
Staff Member = 1%
Gender
Male = 98%
Female = 1%
Male & Female = 1%
Race
White = 65%
Unknown = 20%
African American = 7%
No Relation = 10%
Other = 4%
American Indian = 3%
Asian = 1%
Type Of Weapon
Handgun = 42%
Combination Of Different Weapons = 21%
Rifle = 14%
Shotgun = 13%
Multiple Handguns = 7%
Unknown = 1%
Shooters Action After Shots Fired
Subdued/Apprehended = 34%
Suicide or Attempt = 21%
Fled = 20%
Immediately Surrendered = 15%
Barricaded = 10%
Unknown = 1%
Bullying
Known Bullying = 30%
Not Bullied = 54%
Unknown = 16%
Pre-planned Attack
Yes = 43%
No = 52%
Victim Information
General
Random Victims = 60%
Male = 32%
Female = 7%
Male & Female = 42%
Affiliation With School
Student = 38%
No Relation = 2%
Multiple Victim Types = 26%
Teacher = 9%
Staff Member = 8%
School Resource Officer (SRO) = 1%
Targeted Victim(s)
Targeted Victim(s) = 38%
No Targeted Victim(s) = 50%
Unknown = 12%
Survivor Information
Fighting Back
Percentage of attacks stopped by students and/or staff fighting back = 21%
Average duration of attack when fighting back =3 minutes (8 minutes without fighting back)
One person is shot every90 seconds (60 seconds without fighting back)
Percentage of Survivors Who Fought Back:
Teachers = 50%
Staff = 20%
Principal or Asst. Principal = 20%
Students = 7%
Citizen = 3%
School Information
School Type
High School = 60%
Middle School = 15%
Elementary School = 10%
Junior High School = 6%
Other = 3%
Jr. / Sr. High School = 2%
6-12 = 2%
K-12 = 2%
Location
Inside Building = 80%
Outside on school property = 20%
Location Within Building
Hallways = 24%
Classrooms = 21%
Cafeteria = 13%
Hallway & Classroom = 5%
Office = 5%
Entry Points = 2%
Bathroom = 2%
Gymnasium = 2%
Band Room = 1%
Entry Point & Hallway & Classroom = 1%
Locker Room = 1%
Bathroom & Hallway = 1%
Cafeteria & Hallway = 1%
Courtyard = 1%
Location Outside Building
Adjacent to building(s) = 25%
Playground = 15%
Parking Lot = 15%
Recreation Courts = 10%
Main Entrance = 10%
On campus = 10%
Athletic Field = 5%
Bus Drop-Off = 5%
Edge of Property = 5%
Time Of Attack
Time of Day
During School Day = 93%
Morning Classes = 40%
Lunch = 15%
Afternoon Classes = 14%
Undetermined = 12%
As school is opening = 8%
Before School = 4%
Evening = 4%
Dismissal = 1%
After School = 1%
Not in session = 1%
Day of the Week
Monday = 24%
Friday = 23%
Tuesday = 19%
Thursday = 17%
Wednesday = 16%
Saturday = 1%
Years
1985-1989 = 11%
1991-1999 = 23%
2000-2009 = 26%
2010-2020 = 40%
Attacks By State
California = 12%
Ohio = 6%
Washington = 5%
Colorado = 4%
Florida = 4%
Illinois = 4%
Maryland = 3%
Michigan = 3%
South Carolina = 3%
Wisconsin = 3%
Arkansas = 2%
Georgia = 2%
Kentucky = 2%
Pennsylvania = 2%
Tennessee = 2%
Texas = 2%
Indiana = 2%
Louisiana = 2%
Minnesota = 2%
Missouri = 2%
Nevada = 2%
New Mexico = 2%
North Carolina = 2%
Oregon = 2%
Virginia = 2%
Wyoming = 2%
Alaska = 1%
Arizona = 1%
Idaho = 1%
Iowa = 1%
Kansas = 1%
Massachusetts = 1%
Mississippi = 1%
Nebraska = 1%
New Hampshire = 1%
New York = 1%
Oklahoma = 1%
South Dakota = 1%
Utah = 1%
Vermont = 1%
Shooting Through Exterior Openings
December 13, 2018: Dennis Intermediate School. 14YOM shot out entry door glass.
November 14th, 2017: Rancho Tehama Elementary. Shooter was prevented from entering the school due to a lockdown, so he fired at the windows and doors of the building, wounding five children.
December 14, 2012: Sandy Hook. Shot out main entrance side lite to gain entry.
April 20, 1999: Columbine High School. Attackers shot out the doors at the west entrance.
March 31, 1998: Oakfield Middle School. 14YOM fired 5 shots into main entrance.
Shooting Through Windows From Exterior
December 10, 2019: Sacred Heart School. During shoot out with police, multiple shots struck the school building breaking windows.
November 14, 2018: Rancho Tehama Elementary School. The shooter drove though a school gate and fire at the windows and doors. 5 students injured.
April 10, 2007: Spring Water Trail High School. Fired shot at the school from 150 yards away. 10 students were injured by broken glass when bullets struck the classroom windows.
March 22, 2001: Granite Hills High School. Fired shotgun and .22 rounds at the windows of the building. 4 students were injured by broken glass.
April 20, 2001: Monroe City Alternative School. The shooter fired shots into the windows but missed students. Shooter gained entry through another door and fired shots that missed janitor.
January 20, 2000: Erwin High School. Shooter fired into the gymnasium.
February 8, 1996: Mid-Peninsula High School. 16 year lured people on to court by throwing money, shot into group. Shot several bullets into nearby classroom then shot himself.
School Resource Officer (SRO) Interventions
In the 112 incidents studies, SRO intervention decreased the duration of incident from 8 minutes to 2 minutes on average.
December 6, 1999. Fort Gibson Middle School. Shooter fired shots at the crowd outside of the school, tackled by SRO and teacher.
March 22, 2001. Granite Hills High School. Shooter stood outside of school and fired shotgun and .22 rounds at the windows of the building. 4 students were injured by broken glass. A police officer assigned to the school fired at the shooter and arrested him.
August 30, 2006. Orange High School. Shooter fired shots with a semiautomatic rifle at the school building and at students standing outside the building, wounding two students. A school resource officer arrested him when his rifle jammed. Duration of incident was 2 minutes.
August 30, 2010. Sullivan Central High School. 62 year old Vietnam Veteran drove to school where his was a janitor. He entered the school, and pointed a .380 caliber pistol at a student. Shooter had second loaded handgun with him. The school resource officer pulled her weapon and pointed it at the suspect. For approximately an hour, there was a standoff with both the shooter and the SRO pointing weapons at each other. Two other deputies soon arrived and cornered the shooter. He was eventually shot and killed by police after refusing to drop his weapon.
September 21, 2010. Socastee High School. Shooter was a 15 year old male, former student, who was not known to school officials. Shooter fired a handgun in the SRO’s office when SRO attempted to search his bag. SRO was burned by the gun firing but was not shot. He was able to wrestle the gun away from the shooter. Shooter also had two pipe bombs in his bag. Duration of incident was 2 minutes.
December 13, 2013. Arapohoe High School. Shooter walked into school with shotgun, molotov cocktails, and ammunition. Fired 5 shots down hallways killing one student (no relation to shooter). Threw molotov cocktail into library. Confronted by SRO and commit suicide. Duration of incident was 80 seconds.
February 28, 2018. Dalton High School. Shooter was a teacher at the school. He barricaded himself in his classroom and did not let students in. When the principal tried to unlock the door, the shooter told him he had a gun and shot out of the window. No one was shot. The SRO engaged the shooter and convinced him to turn himself in.
March 20, 2018. Great Mills High School. Deputy Blaine Gaskill of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office is credited with stopping a shooting that left two students wounded. Deputy Gaskill fired one shot after running a distance to confront the shooter. This was his first year as the school SRO. He is also a swat team operator.
April 20, 2018. Forest High School. SRO Deputy Jimmy Long heard a loud bang at 8:39 a.m. and quickly responded. The 19 year old suspect was taken into custody by Deputy Long 3 minutes later.
May 16, 2018. Dixon High School. Shooter fired several shots near the gym, where seniors were engaged in a graduation walk-through. Shooter ran out and was confronted by the SRO (Dixon Police Officer Mark Dallas). They exchanged shots, Shooter received non-lethal wounds and was apprehended.
May 18, 2018. Santa Fe High School. SRO John Barnes was shot in the arm during the active shooter incident. He was the first person to engage the shooter which left 10 people dead.