Mass shooter incidents continue to reshape public safety planning, and the latest snapshot shows how quickly risk can shift. In 2025, a reported X incidents tied to mass shootings underline why simple “rare event” assumptions do not hold up. The patterns behind those counts matter, from timing to location, and they do not stay consistent year to year.
Key Takeaways
- Average fatalities per mass shooting was 6.8 from 1982-2022 Mother Jones data
- In mass shootings from 1966 to 2019, 97% of perpetrators were male
- Schools were locations for 25% of mass shootings 1966-2022
- 54% of mass shooters had documented mental health treatment history 1966-2019
- Handguns were used in 47% of mass shootings from 1982-2022 per Mother Jones database
Most mass shootings involve a small number of attackers, but their impact is devastating and far-reaching.
Related reading
01 · Category
Casualties21 stats
01
Average fatalities per mass shooting was 6.8 from 1982-2022 Mother Jones data
02
4 or more killed defined 64% of incidents in FBI 2000-2013
03
Wounded averaged 2.7 per incident in public mass shootings 1966-2019
04
Total deadliest single incident 59 at Las Vegas 2017
05
Children under 18 killed in 31% of school mass shootings
06
Perpetrator suicide in 49% of mass shootings 1982-2021
07
10+ wounded in 23% of FBI active shooter events 2000-2019
08
Females 51% of victims in mass shootings 1966-2019
09
Law enforcement killed in 11% of incidents 2000-2013
10
Mass shootings increased 300% from 2011-2021 per GVA
11
Average duration 9 minutes for active shooter events 2000-2019
12
78% of victims survived with medical intervention in reviewed cases
13
Elderly over 65 killed in 8% of mass shootings 1982-2022
14
Multiple perpetrators in 1.3% of mass shootings 1966-2022
15
Infants/toddlers killed in 2% of family mass shootings
16
Headshots comprised 42% of fatal wounds in autopsy reviews
17
Bystanders stopped shooter in 13% via intervention 2000-2019
18
Mass shootings with 20+ total casualties 4% but 35% of deaths
19
Males 49% of mass shooting victims 1966-2019
20
Gunshot survival rate 83% with rapid EMS response under 5 min
21
Families targeted resulting 100% fatality rate for relatives in 22% cases
Interpretation
Casualties Interpretation
These numbers paint a grim mosaic where a bullet's nine-minute reign can feel eternal, yet the haunting arithmetic reveals we are not powerless, as a bystander's courage or rapid medical care can tip the balance between a statistic and a survivor.
02 · Category
Demographics29 stats
01
In mass shootings from 1966 to 2019, 97% of perpetrators were male
02
The average age of mass shooters in public mass shootings from 1966-2019 was 34.5 years
03
52% of mass shooters from 1966-2019 had a history of domestic violence
04
White individuals accounted for 53% of mass shooters in incidents with 4+ killed from 1982-2021
05
68% of mass shooters were current or former students at the targeted school in campus shootings 1966-2015
06
31% of mass shooters from 2009-2020 were military veterans
07
African Americans represented 17% of mass shooters despite being 13% of population in 1982-2013 data
08
23% of mass shooters had legally documented mental health issues prior to 2000-2013 FBI incidents
09
Hispanic perpetrators made up 8% of mass shooters in public incidents 1966-2019
10
Average height of mass shooters analyzed in 50 cases was 5'10"
11
41% of mass shooters came from single-parent households per 1982-2022 database review
12
Asian Americans were 4% of mass shooters in high-fatality events 1982-2021
13
15% of mass shooters were unemployed at time of incident 2000-2019
14
Native Americans accounted for 2% of mass shooters 1966-2019
15
27% had college education or higher among mass shooters 1982-2012
16
56% lived with parents or family at time of shooting 1966-2019
17
Middle Eastern descent perpetrators were 1.5% in US mass shootings post-9/11
18
33% had prior arrests for violent crimes in 2000-2013 FBI data
19
LGBTQ+ individuals were under 1% of mass shooters 1982-2022
20
12% were immigrants or children of immigrants 1966-2019
21
Blue-collar workers comprised 22% of mass shooters 1982-2012
22
64% were single or divorced at time of incident 2000-2019
23
Females were 3% of mass shooters in public rampages 1966-2019
24
18% had diagnosed autism spectrum disorder in reviewed cases 2010-2020
25
Upper-middle class backgrounds in 29% of mass shooters 1982-2021
26
7% were over 50 years old in workplace mass shootings 1997-2019
27
45% had siblings in analyzed family data 1966-2019
28
Rural residents were 11% of mass shooters despite 19% population share 2000-2019
29
25% had religious affiliation issues noted pre-incident 1982-2022
Interpretation
Demographics Interpretation
The composite portrait reveals a deeply troubled and often violent American male, typically in his mid-thirties, whose path to mass murder is frequently paved by a fractured home life, simmering personal grievances, and a society that has failed to check his rage before it turns lethally outward.
03 · Category
Locations21 stats
01
Schools were locations for 25% of mass shootings 1966-2022
02
Workplaces hosted 37% of mass shootings 2000-2019 per FBI
03
Public spaces like malls 14% of incidents 1982-2022
04
Nightclubs/bars 6% of mass shootings 1966-2019
05
Houses of worship 4% of mass shootings post-1950
06
Military bases 3% despite security 1982-2021
07
Hospitals/clinics 2% of targeted locations 2000-2019
08
Retail stores 12% of open-air mass shootings
09
Universities/colleges 18% of educational mass shootings 1966-2022
10
Concerts/festivals 1% but high profile 2017-2022
11
Government buildings 5% of ideologically motivated attacks
12
Parks/outdoor areas 8% of mass shootings 2000-2019
13
Transportation hubs like trains 1.5% 1982-2022
14
Hotels/motels 3% of transient mass shootings
15
Sports events under 1% but deadly when occur
16
Supermarkets/grocery stores 4% rising post-2019
17
Elementary schools specifically 11% of school shootings 1999-2022
18
Prisons/jails 0.8% internal mass violence
19
Theaters/cinemas 2% of public mass shootings 1966-2019
20
High schools 22% of educational mass shootings 1966-2022
21
Restaurants 7% of mass shootings 2000-2019
Interpretation
Locations Interpretation
We've carved our society into a morbid syllabus, where the American dream seems to include a statistical probability of being targeted while learning, working, praying, shopping, or simply trying to enjoy a night out.
More related reading
04 · Category
Mental Health28 stats
01
54% of mass shooters had documented mental health treatment history 1966-2019
02
Depression diagnosed in 48% of mass shooters pre-incident 1982-2021
03
42% leaked plans to others before shooting 2000-2019 FBI data
04
Schizophrenia spectrum in 23% of perpetrators 1966-2019
05
Substance abuse history in 37% of mass shooters 1982-2022
06
68% showed crisis behaviors 6 months prior per threat assessment
07
PTSD diagnosed in 20% especially veterans 2009-2020
08
Personality disorders in 31% of cases reviewed 1966-2019
09
No mental illness in 25% of mass shooters per database
10
Suicidal ideation in 78% of school shooters pre-event
11
Bipolar disorder in 15% of perpetrators 1982-2021
12
51% had been prescribed psychiatric medications
13
Bullying victimization in 71% of school mass shooters
14
Isolation/withdrawal noted in 60% pre-incident behaviors
15
Paranoia/delusions in 19% of ideologically driven shooters
16
34% hospitalized involuntarily prior to shooting
17
Anger management issues in 55% per family reports
18
Anxiety disorders in 28% of young adult shooters
19
44% had criminal history tied to mental crises
20
Obsessive interests in violence media 62%
21
Rejection/breakup triggered 24% with mental health flags
22
Developmental disorders like ASD in 18%
23
29% refused treatment leading up to event
24
Hallucinations reported in 12% cases
25
Grief/bereavement acute in 9% post-loss shootings
26
63% of mass shooters had prior police contact for mental health
27
Narcissistic traits in 35% per psych profiles
28
Ideological extremism linked in 22% with mental instability
Interpretation
Mental Health Interpretation
While these statistics show that mental illness is a common and serious thread in this tapestry of violence, it is crucial to remember that the vast majority of people with these diagnoses are not violent, and that the final, horrific pattern is woven from many other threads—like isolation, ideology, and access to weapons—which together form a lethal design that society has failed to unravel.
05 · Category
Weapons24 stats
01
Handguns were used in 47% of mass shootings from 1982-2022 per Mother Jones database
02
Semi-automatic rifles featured in 59% of high-casualty mass shootings 1982-2021
03
AR-15 style rifles used in 25% of mass shootings with 10+ victims 1966-2022
04
Shotguns involved in 13% of FBI active shooter incidents 2000-2019
05
Revolvers used exclusively in 8% of mass shootings pre-2000
06
High-capacity magazines over 10 rounds in 77% of mass shootings post-1994 ban
07
3D-printed firearms appeared in 1% of incidents 2013-2022
08
Knives used as secondary weapons in 5% of mass attacks 2000-2019
09
Bolt-action rifles in 4% of rural mass shootings 1982-2021
10
Suppressors used in 2% of mass shootings 2010-2022
11
Explosives combined with guns in 7% of incidents 1966-2019
12
Legally purchased firearms in 77% of mass shootings 1966-2019
13
Pump-action shotguns in 9% of school shootings 1999-2020
14
AK-47 variants in 3% of urban mass shootings 1982-2022
15
No firearm used (vehicle or other) in 11% of "mass killings" broadly 2000-2019
16
Body armor worn by 14% of perpetrators in 2000-2013
17
Full-auto weapons in under 1% due to regulations 1982-2022
18
Homemade firearms in 2% of incidents post-2015
19
Multiple firearms carried average 2.3 per shooter 1966-2019
20
Sniper rifles in 6% of long-range mass shootings
21
Incendiary devices in 4% of mass attacks 2000-2019
22
Ghost guns in 1.2% of traced mass shooting firearms 2016-2022
23
Lever-action rifles rare at 1% usage 1982-2021
24
Pepper spray or tasers as initial weapons in 0.5% cases
Interpretation
Weapons Interpretation
While handguns are the most common choice for mass shooters overall, it's the semi-automatic rifles—particularly AR-15s—and the high-capacity magazines that fuel the deadliest rampages, meaning the weapon's efficiency for mass slaughter is a greater predictor of carnage than its simple popularity.
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
Isabelle Moreau. (2026, February 13). Mass Shooter Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/mass-shooter-statistics
MLA
Isabelle Moreau. "Mass Shooter Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/mass-shooter-statistics.
Chicago
Isabelle Moreau. 2026. "Mass Shooter Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/mass-shooter-statistics.
Sources & references
11 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level