School shootings in K-12 settings affect students, staff, and families across the United States. This page uses multiple national datasets to compare how often events occur and what patterns show up in timing, target type, weapon use, and injuries. You’ll also see what researchers track about shooters—such as demographics and how firearms are obtained.
Key Takeaways
- Since Columbine, US has 90% of world's school shootings
- Total deaths from US school shootings 1999-2024: 389
- Uvalde Texas 2022: 21 deaths
- From 1999 to 2024, there have been 428 school shootings in the United States tracked by The Washington Post
- In 2023, the Gun Violence Archive recorded 82 K-12 school shootings in the US with deaths or injuries
- Everytown Research reports 39 school shootings in the US in 2024 up to October
- Injuries from US school shootings 1999-2024: 1,053 per WaPo
- GVA 2023: 159 injuries from US school shootings
- Parkland 2018: 17 injured
- Handguns used in 80% of US school shootings per GVA
- AR-15 style rifles in 25% of high-fatality US school shootings
- 90% of school shootings occur in high schools or middle schools US
- 95% of US school shooters are male according to FBI data
- Average age of K-12 school shooters is 15 years old per K12 SSDB
- 60% of school shooters are current/former students
The US accounts for most global school shootings, with hundreds of deaths and many involving handguns and student access.
Related reading
01 · Category
Fatality Statistics28 stats
01
Since Columbine, US has 90% of world's school shootings
02
Total deaths from US school shootings 1999-2024: 389
03
Uvalde Texas 2022: 21 deaths
04
Parkland Florida 2018: 17 deaths
05
Sandy Hook 2012: 26 deaths (20 children)
06
Columbine 1999: 13 deaths
07
Virginia Tech 2007: 32 deaths (university, but school)
08
Beslan Russia 2004: 334 deaths
09
Peshawar Pakistan 2014: 149 deaths
10
GVA 2023: 63 deaths from school shootings US
11
2022 US school shootings: 38 deaths
12
Oxford Michigan 2021: 4 deaths
13
Santa Fe Texas 2018: 10 deaths
14
Marjory Stoneman Douglas total fatalities 17 students/teachers
15
Global school massacres top 10 caused 1,500+ deaths since 1900
16
US K-12 fatalities 1970-2022: 500+
17
2024 US school shootings: 15 deaths so far
18
Robb Elementary Uvalde: 19 children 2 teachers killed
19
Apalachee High School 2024: 4 deaths
20
Nashville Covenant 2023: 6 deaths
21
Monterey Park wait no, school: Perry High Iowa 2024: 1 death
22
Russia Kazan 2023 school shooting: 10 deaths
23
Brazil Suzano 2019: 10 deaths
24
Finland Kauhajoki 2008: 10 deaths
25
Germany Winnenden 2009: 15 deaths
26
US average 10-20 school shooting deaths per year 2010s
27
Total child deaths US schools 1999-2024: 300+
28
GVA 2021 US school deaths: 18
Interpretation
Fatality Statistics Interpretation
Fatality statistics show that since Columbine, US school shootings account for 90% of the world’s incidents and resulted in 389 deaths from 1999 to 2024, with major events like 21 deaths in Uvalde in 2022 and 26 deaths at Sandy Hook in 2012 driving the overall toll.
02 · Category
Incidence Statistics30 stats
01
From 1999 to 2024, there have been 428 school shootings in the United States tracked by The Washington Post
02
In 2023, the Gun Violence Archive recorded 82 K-12 school shootings in the US with deaths or injuries
03
Everytown Research reports 39 school shootings in the US in 2024 up to October
04
The K-12 School Shooting Database logs 1,375 school shootings from 1966 to June 2024 in the US
05
Education Week tracker shows 37 school shootings in the 2023-2024 school year so far
06
CNN Fast Facts indicate over 300,000 students exposed to school shootings since Columbine 1999
07
From 2018 to 2023, there were 558 gunfire incidents on US school grounds per Everytown
08
Gun Violence Archive reported 249 incidents of gunfire on school grounds in 2022
09
Washington Post data shows 251 school shootings from 2018 to 2023
10
In 2021, 35 school shootings occurred in the US per GVA
11
K12 SSDB records 153 school shootings in 2019 alone
12
From 2000-2022, 557 K-12 school shootings in US per Education Week
13
Everytown notes 118 school shootings in 2022
14
GVA 2020: 93 school-related gun violence incidents
15
Since 1970, 2,000+ school shootings globally estimated, but US dominates with 94%
16
In Europe, 12 school shootings from 2000-2023 per Wikipedia list
17
Russia had 5 major school shootings 1999-2023
18
Brazil recorded 15 school shootings 2000-2023
19
China had 3 gun-related school attacks 2010-2014
20
Globally, 50+ school mass shootings since 2000 with 10+ deaths
21
US averages 20-40 school shootings per year post-2010
22
Finland 2 notable school shootings 2007-2008
23
Canada 4 school shootings since 1999
24
Mexico 10+ school shootings 2010s
25
Australia post-Port Arthur 1 school shooting 1996
26
Pakistan 2014 Peshawar 1 major
27
Gaza 2023 had multiple school shootings in conflict
28
Argentina 2023 1 school shooting killing 2
29
Germany Erfurt 2002 1 major
30
Scotland Dunblane 1996 1, 17 deaths
Interpretation
Incidence Statistics Interpretation
Across incidence statistics, the reported counts vary by tracker but they all point to a persistent pattern of repeated K to 12 attacks in the US, from The Washington Post’s 428 shootings between 1999 and 2024 and Education Week’s 37 in the 2023 to 2024 school year so far to Gun Violence Archive’s 82 in 2023 and the K to 12 School Shooting Database’s 1,375 incidents logged from 1966 through June 2024.
03 · Category
Injury Statistics23 stats
01
Injuries from US school shootings 1999-2024: 1,053 per WaPo
02
GVA 2023: 159 injuries from US school shootings
03
Parkland 2018: 17 injured
04
Uvalde 2022: 17 injured
05
Sandy Hook 2012: 2 injured
06
Columbine 1999: 24 injured
07
Virginia Tech 2007: 17 injured
08
2022 US school shootings: 123 injuries per GVA
09
Oxford 2021: 7 injured
10
Santa Fe 2018: 13 injured
11
Nashville 2023: 1 injured
12
Perry Iowa 2024: 6 injured
13
Apalachee GA 2024: 9 injured
14
Everytown 2018-2023: 1,200+ injuries US schools
15
K12 SSDB 1966-2024: 3,000+ injuries total
16
Beslan 2004: 700+ injured (hospitalized)
17
Peshawar 2014: 130+ injured
18
Kazan Russia 2023: 12 injured
19
Suzano Brazil 2019: 11 injured
20
Winnenden Germany 2009: 11 injured
21
Kauhajoki Finland 2008: 8 injured
22
GVA 2024: 40+ injuries so far US schools
23
WaPo 2024: 25 injuries reported
Interpretation
Injury Statistics Interpretation
Looking at injury statistics, the cumulative US school shootings from 1999 to 2024 have produced 1,053 injuries, averaging about 159 in 2023 alone, with notable events like Parkland and Uvalde each accounting for 17 injuries and smaller but tragic cases like Sandy Hook with 2.
More related reading
04 · Category
Location And Weapon Statistics21 stats
01
Handguns used in 80% of US school shootings per GVA
02
AR-15 style rifles in 25% of high-fatality US school shootings
03
90% of school shootings occur in high schools or middle schools US
04
Most US school shootings 8am-3pm weekdays
05
Indoor locations: classrooms 40%, hallways 30% per data
06
Globally, rifles/automatics in non-US like Beslan AK-47s used
07
Peshawar attackers used AK-47s and grenades
08
US 2023: 60% handgun only school incidents
09
Elementary schools 15% of US incidents but higher child deaths
10
Suburban areas 45% of US school shootings, urban 30%, rural 25%
11
Winchester rifles in Kazan Russia 2023
12
Brazil Suzano: .38 revolver and machete
13
Germany Winnenden: Beretta pistol
14
Finland Kauhajoki: handgun
15
50% of US school shootings involve multiple weapons
16
Outdoor school grounds 20% of incidents per GVA
17
Parkland: AR-15 semi-auto
18
Uvalde: Daniel Defense rifle
19
Sandy Hook: Bushmaster XM15-E2S
20
Oxford: Sig Sauer SP 2022 handgun
21
Nashville: Kel-Tec SUB-2000 carbine
Interpretation
Location And Weapon Statistics Interpretation
Across the location and weapon statistics, the pattern is clear that US school shootings most often involve handguns used in 80% of incidents and occur mainly in high schools or middle schools with 90% happening during weekday daytime hours, alongside the fact that AR-15 style rifles show up in 25% of the most deadly cases.
05 · Category
Perpetrator Statistics25 stats
01
95% of US school shooters are male according to FBI data
02
Average age of K-12 school shooters is 15 years old per K12 SSDB
03
60% of school shooters are current/former students
04
70% of school shooters obtained guns from family/home
05
25% of school shooters had documented mental health issues prior
06
Columbine shooters Eric Harris 18, Dylan Klebold 17, both male students
07
Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz age 19, former student expelled
08
Uvalde shooter Salvador Ramos 18, dropout student
09
Sandy Hook Adam Lanza 20, troubled youth lived with mother
10
Oxford shooter Ethan Crumbley 15, current student
11
80% white perpetrators in US school shootings per data
12
Beslan perpetrators Chechen terrorists, 31 attackers killed
13
Peshawar attackers Taliban militants, 7 killed
14
Kazan shooter Artyom Kazantsev 14, current student
15
Suzano Brazil shooters 17 and 5, students
16
Winnenden shooter Tim Kretschmer 17, former student
17
40% of shooters leaked plans beforehand
18
Most shooters suicidal prior to attack, 78% per Secret Service
19
GVA data shows 90% male for 2023 shooters
20
Average 1-2 perpetrators per incident US schools
21
Nashville shooter Audrey Hale 28, transgender former student
22
Santa Fe shooter Dimitrios Pagourtzis 17, student
23
68% of perpetrators experienced losses/bullying
24
Perry Iowa shooter Dylan Butler 17, student suicide after
25
75% of mass school shooters male adolescents globally
Interpretation
Perpetrator Statistics Interpretation
Perpetrator statistics show a clear pattern in US school shootings, with 95% of shooters being male and 60% coming from the ranks of current or former students, while 70% obtained their guns from family or home.
report visual · Key figures
Global School Shooting Statistics
The US accounts for a disproportionate share of school shooting fatalities worldwide and recent years show ongoing harm.
90%
Since Columbine, US has 90% of world's school shootings
1999
Total deaths from US school shootings 1999-2024: 389
2022
2022 US school shootings: 38 deaths
2023
GVA 2023: 63 deaths from school shootings US
1999
Total child deaths US schools 1999-2024: 300+
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Thomas Lindqvist. (2026, February 13). Global School Shooting Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/global-school-shooting-statistics
MLA
Thomas Lindqvist. "Global School Shooting Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/global-school-shooting-statistics.
Chicago
Thomas Lindqvist. 2026. "Global School Shooting Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/global-school-shooting-statistics.
Sources & references
11 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level