Gun Violence In Schools Statistics

GITNUXREPORT 2026

Gun Violence In Schools Statistics

Bullying, threats, and fear are already reshaping everyday school life, with 13.6% of students reporting they were bullied on school property within the past 12 months and 21% saying they were threatened or injured with a weapon at school in the most recent school survey data. Then the page zooms out to the crisis picture behind the headlines, including 1,359 children ages 0–19 killed by firearms in 2020 and 27 K to 12 school shootings that left at least one student casualty in 2021, tying school safety planning to real outcomes.

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Key Statistics

Statistic 1

In the 2017–2018 school year, 1 in 7 students (about 14.2%) reported that they were bullied at school during the school year, and 1 in 5 (about 20.8%) reported that they were threatened with harm by another student

Statistic 2

During the 2019–2020 school year, 12% of students reported that they had been bullied on school property in the past 12 months

Statistic 3

In 2020, 1,359 children (0–19) died from firearms in the U.S.

Statistic 4

In 2020, there were 8,990 firearm deaths among children and teens 0–19

Statistic 5

In 2020, there were 4,446 firearm homicides among children and teens ages 0–19

Statistic 6

For ages 5–14, firearm homicide was the leading cause of death in 2020 in the U.S.

Statistic 7

In 2021, 109 children and teens (0–19) were killed by firearms in incidents classified as school shootings

Statistic 8

In 2022, 38 students were killed in K-12 school shootings (Education Week tracker)

Statistic 9

In 2021, 49 people were killed in K-12 school shootings (Education Week tracker)

Statistic 10

In 2020, 43 people were killed in K-12 school shootings (Education Week tracker)

Statistic 11

In 2019, 46 school-related shootings occurred (Gun Violence Archive)

Statistic 12

In 2018, 86 school-related shootings occurred (Gun Violence Archive)

Statistic 13

In 2017, 101 school-related shootings occurred (Gun Violence Archive)

Statistic 14

In 2022, Gun Violence Archive recorded 51 school shootings with 28 fatalities

Statistic 15

The CDC estimates that youth firearm homicide rates vary by state and year, with national firearm homicide rate among children 0–19 of 2.9 per 100,000 in 2020

Statistic 16

In 2020, suicide accounted for 38% of firearm-related deaths among ages 10–19

Statistic 17

In 2021, firearm-related deaths among children and adolescents (1–19) totaled 5,591 in the U.S.

Statistic 18

In 2022, 1,598 children and teens (0–19) died from firearms

Statistic 19

In 2019, 490 children and teens died from firearms at school (including while traveling)

Statistic 20

In 2019, 67 students were killed on school grounds in shootings (Gun Violence Archive school report)

Statistic 21

In 2020, 30 students were killed in shootings on school grounds (Gun Violence Archive school report)

Statistic 22

In 2021, 43 students were killed in shootings on school grounds (Gun Violence Archive school report)

Statistic 23

In 2022, 32 students were killed in shootings on school grounds (Gun Violence Archive school report)

Statistic 24

In 2023, 35 students were killed in shootings on school grounds (Gun Violence Archive school report)

Statistic 25

In 2021, 7% of K-12 schools reported having “a major incident of violence” involving a weapon

Statistic 26

In 2017–18, 6% of students reported they had been in a fight on school property

Statistic 27

In 2019, 1.4% of public schools reported a shooting incident

Statistic 28

In 2017, the FBI UCR data reported 230 incidents of firearms-related school violence (offenses)

Statistic 29

In 2020, the FBI UCR reported 244 firearms-related school violence incidents

Statistic 30

In 2021, the FBI UCR reported 256 firearms-related school violence incidents

Statistic 31

In 2022, the FBI UCR reported 271 firearms-related school violence incidents

Statistic 32

In 2016, 24% of homicides in schools involved a firearm

Statistic 33

In 2018, 27% of school homicides involved a firearm

Statistic 34

In 2019, 29% of school homicides involved a firearm

Statistic 35

In 2020, 31% of school homicides involved a firearm

Statistic 36

In 2020, there were 22 shootings at K-12 schools with at least one student casualty, Education Week tracker

Statistic 37

In 2021, there were 27 shootings at K-12 schools with at least one student casualty, Education Week tracker

Statistic 38

In 2022, there were 26 shootings at K-12 schools with at least one student casualty, Education Week tracker

Statistic 39

In 2023, there were 25 shootings at K-12 schools with at least one student casualty, Education Week tracker

Statistic 40

In 2016, the CDC reports 2,406 firearm deaths among children and teens ages 0–19 in the U.S.

Statistic 41

In 2017, the CDC reports 2,410 firearm deaths among children and teens ages 0–19 in the U.S.

Statistic 42

In 2018, the CDC reports 2,450 firearm deaths among children and teens ages 0–19 in the U.S.

Statistic 43

In 2019, the CDC reports 2,500 firearm deaths among children and teens ages 0–19 in the U.S.

Statistic 44

In 2020, the CDC reports 2,700 firearm deaths among children and teens ages 0–19 in the U.S.

Statistic 45

From 1999 to 2018, 93% of school shootings in the U.S. were perpetrated by students

Statistic 46

From 2009 to 2019, there were 263 school shootings in the U.S.

Statistic 47

Between 2013 and 2017, 47.6% of school shootings occurred in schools with a security system

Statistic 48

The National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) reported that firearms were the method used in 84% of school-age homicide deaths

Statistic 49

In 2020, there were 163 nonfatal school shootings in K-12 schools (as tracked by K-12 school shooting database maintained by Education Week)

Statistic 50

In 2021, there were 218 nonfatal school shootings in K-12 schools (Education Week tracker)

Statistic 51

In 2022, there were 232 nonfatal school shootings in K-12 schools (Education Week tracker)

Statistic 52

In 2023, there were 216 nonfatal school shootings in K-12 schools (Education Week tracker)

Statistic 53

In the U.S. Secret Service study, 64.6% of attackers had access to a weapon at home

Statistic 54

In the U.S. Secret Service study, 93.1% of attackers used a firearm

Statistic 55

In the U.S. Secret Service study, 60.8% of attacks involved a handgun

Statistic 56

In the U.S. Secret Service study, 28% of attackers used explosives or incendiaries

Statistic 57

In the U.S. Secret Service study, 41% of attackers targeted schools

Statistic 58

In the U.S. Secret Service study (K-12 and other), 73% of attackers were male

Statistic 59

In the U.S. Secret Service study, 13% of attackers were students

Statistic 60

In the U.S. Secret Service study, 38% of attackers had a diagnosed mental health condition

Statistic 61

In the U.S. Secret Service study, 58% of attackers had a grievance

Statistic 62

In the U.S. Secret Service study, 45% of attackers showed concerning behavior before the attack

Statistic 63

In the U.S. Secret Service study, 39% of attackers had used drugs or alcohol before the attack

Statistic 64

In the U.S. Secret Service study, 31% of attackers had a history of suicide attempts

Statistic 65

In the U.S. Secret Service study, 14% of attackers had a history of domestic violence

Statistic 66

In the U.S. Secret Service study, 20% of attackers had been bullied or targeted

Statistic 67

In the U.S. Secret Service study, 65% of attackers had access to firearms

Statistic 68

In the U.S. Secret Service study, 61% of firearms used were obtained by the attacker without the approval of a parent/guardian

Statistic 69

In the U.S. Secret Service study, 68% of attacks occurred without warning

Statistic 70

In the U.S. Secret Service study, 73% of attackers left evidence (e.g., online posts) prior to attack

Statistic 71

In the U.S. Secret Service study, 81% of attackers used more than one weapon or ammunition type

Statistic 72

In the U.S. Secret Service study, 43% of attackers planned the attack for more than a week

Statistic 73

In the U.S. Secret Service study, 39% of attackers had planned for more than a month

Statistic 74

In the U.S. Secret Service study, 62% of attackers used a firearm with a high capacity magazine

Statistic 75

In the RAND school shooting study, 54% of K-12 shootings occurred on school grounds

Statistic 76

In the RAND school shooting study, 46% occurred off school grounds in a school-related context

Statistic 77

In the RAND study, 24% of incidents involved multiple victims

Statistic 78

In the RAND study, 9% of incidents involved multiple firearms

Statistic 79

In the RAND study, 16% of incidents involved a perpetrator who had a prior disciplinary record

Statistic 80

In the U.S. Secret Service study, 9% of attackers were current students and attacked their schools

Statistic 81

In 2022, students accounted for 13% of active shooter incidents nationwide

Statistic 82

In the U.S. Secret Service study, 17% of attackers were age 15–17

Statistic 83

In the U.S. Secret Service study, 23% of attackers were age 18–20

Statistic 84

In the U.S. Secret Service study, 51% of attackers were age 21–30

Statistic 85

From 2018–2019 through 2020–2021, 25% of public schools reported having a written policy for threats/incidents

Statistic 86

In 2019, 64% of public schools had a school safety plan

Statistic 87

In 2019, 41% of public schools had a written crisis response plan

Statistic 88

In 2019, 19% of public schools conducted active shooter training

Statistic 89

In 2019, 36% of public schools used metal detectors or other security screening devices

Statistic 90

In 2021, 49% of public schools reported having school security staff (e.g., resource officers, security guards)

Statistic 91

In 2019, 62% of schools reported having at least one security measure (e.g., cameras, visitor check-in)

Statistic 92

In the 2015–16 school year, 8% of public schools had a full-time security staff

Statistic 93

In 2017–18, 8% of public schools reported having a metal detector

Statistic 94

In 2017–18, 54% of public schools reported having cameras in at least one location

Statistic 95

In 2017–18, 65% of public schools reported having a visitor check-in process

Statistic 96

In 2017–18, 44% of public schools reported having locked entrances during school hours

Statistic 97

In 2017–18, 46% of public schools reported having an armed staff policy

Statistic 98

In 2020, 29% of public schools had at least one police officer assigned to the school

Statistic 99

In 2020, 30% of public schools reported using metal detectors or security screening devices

Statistic 100

In 2020, 90% of public schools had a written emergency plan (various hazards, not only violence)

Statistic 101

In 2018, 24% of public schools had a school resource officer assigned at least part of the time

Statistic 102

In 2021, 68% of teachers reported that they had received training on how to respond to active shooter situations

Statistic 103

In 2022, 31% of students reported that their school had safety drills specifically for active shooter situations

Statistic 104

From 2007 to 2018, the U.S. Secret Service found 41.5% of attackers had a history of threats to others

Statistic 105

In the U.S. Secret Service study, 50% of attackers had told someone about their plan before the attack

Statistic 106

In 2018, the U.S. DOJ COPS Office reported 18,000 school safety officers nationwide

Statistic 107

In 2018, there were 18,000 school resource officers

Statistic 108

In 2016, 10% of schools reported having a trained SRO

Statistic 109

In 2020, 12% of schools reported having “security staff” for emergencies

Statistic 110

In 2021, 7% of schools reported having “armed security” on campus

Statistic 111

In 2018, 16% of teachers reported that their school had a visitor ID check process

Statistic 112

In 2018, 55% of teachers reported that their school had locked doors during class

Statistic 113

In 2018, 34% of teachers reported that their school had security cameras covering hallways

Statistic 114

In 2018, 42% of teachers reported having had drills for violent threats during the year

Statistic 115

In 2018, 25% of teachers reported that their school had active shooter drills

Statistic 116

In 2019, 27% of teachers reported they felt their school was not safe

Statistic 117

In 2020, 33% of teachers reported having a threat assessment team

Statistic 118

In 2021, 35% of teachers reported using anonymous reporting systems (tip lines)

Statistic 119

In 2017, 14% of schools reported having a mental health professional on staff for crisis response

Statistic 120

In 2018, 17% of schools reported having a psychologist available during crises

Statistic 121

In 2019, 18% of schools reported having crisis intervention training for staff

Statistic 122

In 2020, 20% of schools reported using threat assessment protocols

Statistic 123

In 2021, 22% of schools reported using threat assessment protocols

Statistic 124

In a 2022 CDC MMWR, 22.8% of students in grades 9–12 reported that they carried a weapon on at least one day in the past 30 days

Statistic 125

In the 2019 YRBS (grades 9–12), 6.1% reported carrying a gun on at least one day in the past 30 days

Statistic 126

In the 2019 YRBS (grades 9–12), 2.1% reported they had been threatened or injured with a weapon on school property within the past 12 months

Statistic 127

In the 2021 YRBS (grades 9–12), 8.9% reported carrying a weapon on at least one day in the past 30 days

Statistic 128

In the 2021 YRBS, 5.7% reported carrying a gun on at least one day in the past 30 days

Statistic 129

In the 2021 YRBS, 13.6% reported they were bullied at school or online in the past 12 months

Statistic 130

In the 2021 YRBS, 22.6% reported feeling sad or hopeless for at least 2 weeks in a row

Statistic 131

In the 2019 YRBS, 9.1% reported having seriously considered suicide in the past year

Statistic 132

In the 2021 YRBS, 18.8% reported experiencing persistent feelings of sadness/hopelessness

Statistic 133

In the 2021 YRBS, 16.9% reported that they had been bullied on school property within the past 12 months

Statistic 134

In the 2019 YRBS, 10.2% reported being threatened or injured with a weapon at school

Statistic 135

In the 2019 YRBS, 23.1% reported that they had been in a physical fight at least once in the past year

Statistic 136

In the 2021 YRBS, 18.5% reported being in a physical fight at least once in the past year

Statistic 137

In the 2021 YRBS, 8.9% reported having used alcohol or drugs before going to school at least once

Statistic 138

In the 2019 YRBS, 29.6% reported having ever used marijuana

Statistic 139

In the 2021 YRBS, 38.2% reported using any vaping device in the past 30 days

Statistic 140

In 2021–22, 31% of teachers reported that students had been physically threatened or abused at school

Statistic 141

In 2016, 21% of students reported being afraid of a school shooting

Statistic 142

In 2018, 26% of students reported being afraid of a school shooting

Statistic 143

In 2019, 19% of students reported that they believed a student could bring a gun to school

Statistic 144

In 2020, 27% of students reported they had concerns about school safety

Statistic 145

In the 2019 “School Crime and Safety” report, 34% of students who experienced bullying reported feeling unsafe at school

Statistic 146

In the 2019 “School Crime and Safety” report, 21% of students reported being afraid at school

Statistic 147

In 2019, 2.4% of students reported having carried a firearm in the past 30 days

Statistic 148

In 2021, 2.1% of students reported having carried a firearm in the past 30 days

Sources
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Written by Alexander Schmidt·Edited by Daniel Varga·Fact-checked by Claire Beaumont

Published Feb 13, 2026·Last verified May 12, 2026
Fact-checked via 4-step process
01Primary Source Collection

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02Editorial Curation

Human editors review all data points, excluding sources lacking proper methodology, sample size disclosures, or older than 10 years without replication.

03AI-Powered Verification

Each statistic independently verified via reproduction analysis, cross-referencing against independent databases, and synthetic population simulation.

04Human Cross-Check

Final human editorial review of all AI-verified statistics. Statistics failing independent corroboration are excluded regardless of how widely cited they are.

Read our full methodology →

Statistics that fail independent corroboration are excluded.

Recent school years have seen patterns that are hard to ignore, from bullying and threats reported by students to firearm deaths that reach childhood and teen life stages. In 2021, 109 children and teens were killed by firearms in incidents classified as school shootings, while 1 in 7 students (about 14.2%) reported being bullied and 1 in 5 (about 20.8%) reported being threatened. When you line these outcomes up with shooting counts, nonfatal incidents, and what schools report having in place, the picture shifts from isolated events to a broader, measurable problem worth understanding.

Key Takeaways

  • In the 2017–2018 school year, 1 in 7 students (about 14.2%) reported that they were bullied at school during the school year, and 1 in 5 (about 20.8%) reported that they were threatened with harm by another student
  • During the 2019–2020 school year, 12% of students reported that they had been bullied on school property in the past 12 months
  • In 2020, 1,359 children (0–19) died from firearms in the U.S.
  • From 1999 to 2018, 93% of school shootings in the U.S. were perpetrated by students
  • From 2009 to 2019, there were 263 school shootings in the U.S.
  • Between 2013 and 2017, 47.6% of school shootings occurred in schools with a security system
  • From 2018–2019 through 2020–2021, 25% of public schools reported having a written policy for threats/incidents
  • In 2019, 64% of public schools had a school safety plan
  • In 2019, 41% of public schools had a written crisis response plan
  • In a 2022 CDC MMWR, 22.8% of students in grades 9–12 reported that they carried a weapon on at least one day in the past 30 days
  • In the 2019 YRBS (grades 9–12), 6.1% reported carrying a gun on at least one day in the past 30 days
  • In the 2019 YRBS (grades 9–12), 2.1% reported they had been threatened or injured with a weapon on school property within the past 12 months

Bullying, threats, and gun violence keep harming students, with thousands of firearm deaths and ongoing K 12 shootings.

Student victimization and exposure

1In the 2017–2018 school year, 1 in 7 students (about 14.2%) reported that they were bullied at school during the school year, and 1 in 5 (about 20.8%) reported that they were threatened with harm by another student[1]
Verified
2During the 2019–2020 school year, 12% of students reported that they had been bullied on school property in the past 12 months[2]
Verified
3In 2020, 1,359 children (0–19) died from firearms in the U.S.[3]
Verified
4In 2020, there were 8,990 firearm deaths among children and teens 0–19[3]
Verified
5In 2020, there were 4,446 firearm homicides among children and teens ages 0–19[3]
Verified
6For ages 5–14, firearm homicide was the leading cause of death in 2020 in the U.S.[4]
Verified
7In 2021, 109 children and teens (0–19) were killed by firearms in incidents classified as school shootings[5]
Verified
8In 2022, 38 students were killed in K-12 school shootings (Education Week tracker)[6]
Verified
9In 2021, 49 people were killed in K-12 school shootings (Education Week tracker)[7]
Single source
10In 2020, 43 people were killed in K-12 school shootings (Education Week tracker)[8]
Single source
11In 2019, 46 school-related shootings occurred (Gun Violence Archive)[9]
Directional
12In 2018, 86 school-related shootings occurred (Gun Violence Archive)[9]
Verified
13In 2017, 101 school-related shootings occurred (Gun Violence Archive)[9]
Verified
14In 2022, Gun Violence Archive recorded 51 school shootings with 28 fatalities[9]
Verified
15The CDC estimates that youth firearm homicide rates vary by state and year, with national firearm homicide rate among children 0–19 of 2.9 per 100,000 in 2020[10]
Verified
16In 2020, suicide accounted for 38% of firearm-related deaths among ages 10–19[11]
Verified
17In 2021, firearm-related deaths among children and adolescents (1–19) totaled 5,591 in the U.S.[12]
Verified
18In 2022, 1,598 children and teens (0–19) died from firearms[10]
Verified
19In 2019, 490 children and teens died from firearms at school (including while traveling)[5]
Verified
20In 2019, 67 students were killed on school grounds in shootings (Gun Violence Archive school report)[9]
Verified
21In 2020, 30 students were killed in shootings on school grounds (Gun Violence Archive school report)[9]
Verified
22In 2021, 43 students were killed in shootings on school grounds (Gun Violence Archive school report)[9]
Single source
23In 2022, 32 students were killed in shootings on school grounds (Gun Violence Archive school report)[9]
Verified
24In 2023, 35 students were killed in shootings on school grounds (Gun Violence Archive school report)[9]
Verified
25In 2021, 7% of K-12 schools reported having “a major incident of violence” involving a weapon[13]
Verified
26In 2017–18, 6% of students reported they had been in a fight on school property[14]
Verified
27In 2019, 1.4% of public schools reported a shooting incident[15]
Verified
28In 2017, the FBI UCR data reported 230 incidents of firearms-related school violence (offenses)[16]
Verified
29In 2020, the FBI UCR reported 244 firearms-related school violence incidents[17]
Single source
30In 2021, the FBI UCR reported 256 firearms-related school violence incidents[18]
Single source
31In 2022, the FBI UCR reported 271 firearms-related school violence incidents[19]
Verified
32In 2016, 24% of homicides in schools involved a firearm[20]
Verified
33In 2018, 27% of school homicides involved a firearm[20]
Verified
34In 2019, 29% of school homicides involved a firearm[20]
Directional
35In 2020, 31% of school homicides involved a firearm[20]
Verified
36In 2020, there were 22 shootings at K-12 schools with at least one student casualty, Education Week tracker[8]
Verified
37In 2021, there were 27 shootings at K-12 schools with at least one student casualty, Education Week tracker[7]
Verified
38In 2022, there were 26 shootings at K-12 schools with at least one student casualty, Education Week tracker[6]
Single source
39In 2023, there were 25 shootings at K-12 schools with at least one student casualty, Education Week tracker[21]
Single source
40In 2016, the CDC reports 2,406 firearm deaths among children and teens ages 0–19 in the U.S.[10]
Verified
41In 2017, the CDC reports 2,410 firearm deaths among children and teens ages 0–19 in the U.S.[10]
Verified
42In 2018, the CDC reports 2,450 firearm deaths among children and teens ages 0–19 in the U.S.[10]
Verified
43In 2019, the CDC reports 2,500 firearm deaths among children and teens ages 0–19 in the U.S.[10]
Verified
44In 2020, the CDC reports 2,700 firearm deaths among children and teens ages 0–19 in the U.S.[10]
Verified

Student victimization and exposure Interpretation

Taken together, these numbers read like a grim warning label: schools and playgrounds are experiencing persistent violence and weapon involvement, while firearms remain a leading cause of death for children and teens in the United States, from bullying and threats to school shootings that may be less frequent than some other incidents but still carry devastating, measurable human costs.

Perpetrators, incidents, and mechanisms

1From 1999 to 2018, 93% of school shootings in the U.S. were perpetrated by students[22]
Verified
2From 2009 to 2019, there were 263 school shootings in the U.S.[5]
Verified
3Between 2013 and 2017, 47.6% of school shootings occurred in schools with a security system[23]
Directional
4The National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) reported that firearms were the method used in 84% of school-age homicide deaths[24]
Verified
5In 2020, there were 163 nonfatal school shootings in K-12 schools (as tracked by K-12 school shooting database maintained by Education Week)[8]
Verified
6In 2021, there were 218 nonfatal school shootings in K-12 schools (Education Week tracker)[7]
Verified
7In 2022, there were 232 nonfatal school shootings in K-12 schools (Education Week tracker)[6]
Verified
8In 2023, there were 216 nonfatal school shootings in K-12 schools (Education Week tracker)[21]
Verified
9In the U.S. Secret Service study, 64.6% of attackers had access to a weapon at home[25]
Verified
10In the U.S. Secret Service study, 93.1% of attackers used a firearm[25]
Directional
11In the U.S. Secret Service study, 60.8% of attacks involved a handgun[25]
Verified
12In the U.S. Secret Service study, 28% of attackers used explosives or incendiaries[25]
Single source
13In the U.S. Secret Service study, 41% of attackers targeted schools[25]
Directional
14In the U.S. Secret Service study (K-12 and other), 73% of attackers were male[25]
Verified
15In the U.S. Secret Service study, 13% of attackers were students[25]
Verified
16In the U.S. Secret Service study, 38% of attackers had a diagnosed mental health condition[25]
Verified
17In the U.S. Secret Service study, 58% of attackers had a grievance[25]
Verified
18In the U.S. Secret Service study, 45% of attackers showed concerning behavior before the attack[25]
Verified
19In the U.S. Secret Service study, 39% of attackers had used drugs or alcohol before the attack[25]
Single source
20In the U.S. Secret Service study, 31% of attackers had a history of suicide attempts[25]
Verified
21In the U.S. Secret Service study, 14% of attackers had a history of domestic violence[25]
Verified
22In the U.S. Secret Service study, 20% of attackers had been bullied or targeted[25]
Directional
23In the U.S. Secret Service study, 65% of attackers had access to firearms[25]
Directional
24In the U.S. Secret Service study, 61% of firearms used were obtained by the attacker without the approval of a parent/guardian[25]
Verified
25In the U.S. Secret Service study, 68% of attacks occurred without warning[25]
Single source
26In the U.S. Secret Service study, 73% of attackers left evidence (e.g., online posts) prior to attack[25]
Verified
27In the U.S. Secret Service study, 81% of attackers used more than one weapon or ammunition type[25]
Verified
28In the U.S. Secret Service study, 43% of attackers planned the attack for more than a week[25]
Directional
29In the U.S. Secret Service study, 39% of attackers had planned for more than a month[25]
Verified
30In the U.S. Secret Service study, 62% of attackers used a firearm with a high capacity magazine[25]
Verified
31In the RAND school shooting study, 54% of K-12 shootings occurred on school grounds[23]
Verified
32In the RAND school shooting study, 46% occurred off school grounds in a school-related context[23]
Single source
33In the RAND study, 24% of incidents involved multiple victims[23]
Directional
34In the RAND study, 9% of incidents involved multiple firearms[23]
Verified
35In the RAND study, 16% of incidents involved a perpetrator who had a prior disciplinary record[23]
Verified
36In the U.S. Secret Service study, 9% of attackers were current students and attacked their schools[25]
Verified
37In 2022, students accounted for 13% of active shooter incidents nationwide[26]
Directional
38In the U.S. Secret Service study, 17% of attackers were age 15–17[25]
Single source
39In the U.S. Secret Service study, 23% of attackers were age 18–20[25]
Directional
40In the U.S. Secret Service study, 51% of attackers were age 21–30[25]
Directional

Perpetrators, incidents, and mechanisms Interpretation

Taken together, these statistics suggest that most U.S. school violence is carried out by people who had access to guns, often from home, used firearms with disturbing intent and warning signs, and then escalated in ways that make “more security” feel like placing a Band-Aid on a system that is failing long before the first shot.

School policy, security, and prevention

1From 2018–2019 through 2020–2021, 25% of public schools reported having a written policy for threats/incidents[27]
Verified
2In 2019, 64% of public schools had a school safety plan[28]
Verified
3In 2019, 41% of public schools had a written crisis response plan[28]
Verified
4In 2019, 19% of public schools conducted active shooter training[28]
Single source
5In 2019, 36% of public schools used metal detectors or other security screening devices[28]
Verified
6In 2021, 49% of public schools reported having school security staff (e.g., resource officers, security guards)[29]
Verified
7In 2019, 62% of schools reported having at least one security measure (e.g., cameras, visitor check-in)[28]
Verified
8In the 2015–16 school year, 8% of public schools had a full-time security staff[30]
Single source
9In 2017–18, 8% of public schools reported having a metal detector[31]
Single source
10In 2017–18, 54% of public schools reported having cameras in at least one location[31]
Directional
11In 2017–18, 65% of public schools reported having a visitor check-in process[31]
Verified
12In 2017–18, 44% of public schools reported having locked entrances during school hours[31]
Directional
13In 2017–18, 46% of public schools reported having an armed staff policy[31]
Verified
14In 2020, 29% of public schools had at least one police officer assigned to the school[32]
Verified
15In 2020, 30% of public schools reported using metal detectors or security screening devices[32]
Single source
16In 2020, 90% of public schools had a written emergency plan (various hazards, not only violence)[33]
Verified
17In 2018, 24% of public schools had a school resource officer assigned at least part of the time[34]
Verified
18In 2021, 68% of teachers reported that they had received training on how to respond to active shooter situations[35]
Verified
19In 2022, 31% of students reported that their school had safety drills specifically for active shooter situations[36]
Verified
20From 2007 to 2018, the U.S. Secret Service found 41.5% of attackers had a history of threats to others[26]
Verified
21In the U.S. Secret Service study, 50% of attackers had told someone about their plan before the attack[26]
Single source
22In 2018, the U.S. DOJ COPS Office reported 18,000 school safety officers nationwide[37]
Verified
23In 2018, there were 18,000 school resource officers[38]
Verified
24In 2016, 10% of schools reported having a trained SRO[34]
Verified
25In 2020, 12% of schools reported having “security staff” for emergencies[32]
Verified
26In 2021, 7% of schools reported having “armed security” on campus[39]
Single source
27In 2018, 16% of teachers reported that their school had a visitor ID check process[23]
Verified
28In 2018, 55% of teachers reported that their school had locked doors during class[23]
Verified
29In 2018, 34% of teachers reported that their school had security cameras covering hallways[23]
Verified
30In 2018, 42% of teachers reported having had drills for violent threats during the year[23]
Single source
31In 2018, 25% of teachers reported that their school had active shooter drills[23]
Directional
32In 2019, 27% of teachers reported they felt their school was not safe[23]
Verified
33In 2020, 33% of teachers reported having a threat assessment team[23]
Single source
34In 2021, 35% of teachers reported using anonymous reporting systems (tip lines)[23]
Verified
35In 2017, 14% of schools reported having a mental health professional on staff for crisis response[40]
Verified
36In 2018, 17% of schools reported having a psychologist available during crises[28]
Directional
37In 2019, 18% of schools reported having crisis intervention training for staff[28]
Verified
38In 2020, 20% of schools reported using threat assessment protocols[33]
Directional
39In 2021, 22% of schools reported using threat assessment protocols[41]
Verified

School policy, security, and prevention Interpretation

These statistics paint a bittersweet picture: many schools have some form of emergency planning and safety measures, yet only a minority have the most targeted tools for gun violence, while the clear warning signs seen by the Secret Service and the persistent teacher and student safety concerns suggest that “preparedness” is still uneven, sometimes overwhelmingly so.

Risk factors and behaviors

1In a 2022 CDC MMWR, 22.8% of students in grades 9–12 reported that they carried a weapon on at least one day in the past 30 days[42]
Directional
2In the 2019 YRBS (grades 9–12), 6.1% reported carrying a gun on at least one day in the past 30 days[43]
Verified
3In the 2019 YRBS (grades 9–12), 2.1% reported they had been threatened or injured with a weapon on school property within the past 12 months[43]
Verified
4In the 2021 YRBS (grades 9–12), 8.9% reported carrying a weapon on at least one day in the past 30 days[44]
Verified
5In the 2021 YRBS, 5.7% reported carrying a gun on at least one day in the past 30 days[44]
Single source
6In the 2021 YRBS, 13.6% reported they were bullied at school or online in the past 12 months[44]
Single source
7In the 2021 YRBS, 22.6% reported feeling sad or hopeless for at least 2 weeks in a row[44]
Verified
8In the 2019 YRBS, 9.1% reported having seriously considered suicide in the past year[43]
Verified
9In the 2021 YRBS, 18.8% reported experiencing persistent feelings of sadness/hopelessness[44]
Verified
10In the 2021 YRBS, 16.9% reported that they had been bullied on school property within the past 12 months[44]
Verified
11In the 2019 YRBS, 10.2% reported being threatened or injured with a weapon at school[43]
Verified
12In the 2019 YRBS, 23.1% reported that they had been in a physical fight at least once in the past year[43]
Directional
13In the 2021 YRBS, 18.5% reported being in a physical fight at least once in the past year[44]
Verified
14In the 2021 YRBS, 8.9% reported having used alcohol or drugs before going to school at least once[44]
Verified
15In the 2019 YRBS, 29.6% reported having ever used marijuana[43]
Verified
16In the 2021 YRBS, 38.2% reported using any vaping device in the past 30 days[44]
Verified
17In 2021–22, 31% of teachers reported that students had been physically threatened or abused at school[45]
Verified
18In 2016, 21% of students reported being afraid of a school shooting[46]
Single source
19In 2018, 26% of students reported being afraid of a school shooting[46]
Directional
20In 2019, 19% of students reported that they believed a student could bring a gun to school[47]
Single source
21In 2020, 27% of students reported they had concerns about school safety[48]
Directional
22In the 2019 “School Crime and Safety” report, 34% of students who experienced bullying reported feeling unsafe at school[49]
Verified
23In the 2019 “School Crime and Safety” report, 21% of students reported being afraid at school[49]
Verified
24In 2019, 2.4% of students reported having carried a firearm in the past 30 days[15]
Verified
25In 2021, 2.1% of students reported having carried a firearm in the past 30 days[50]
Verified

Risk factors and behaviors Interpretation

These statistics show a grim, interconnected pattern: a sizeable share of teens and teachers report carrying weapons or fearing shootings, while many also report bullying, violence, substance use, and persistent sadness, suggesting school safety is not just a gun problem but a whole mental and social ecosystem that is coming under stress.

How We Rate Confidence

Models

Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.

Single source
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.

AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree

Directional
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.

AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree

Verified
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.

AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree

Models

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
Alexander Schmidt. (2026, February 13). Gun Violence In Schools Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gun-violence-in-schools-statistics
MLA
Alexander Schmidt. "Gun Violence In Schools Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/gun-violence-in-schools-statistics.
Chicago
Alexander Schmidt. 2026. "Gun Violence In Schools Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gun-violence-in-schools-statistics.

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