GITNUXREPORT 2026

School Shooters Statistics

School shooters are overwhelmingly young men who were bullied and suicidal.

Alexander Schmidt

Research Analyst specializing in technology and digital transformation trends.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

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Statistic 1

Average casualties per incident was 4.5 deaths in high-profile school shootings 1990-2022

Statistic 2

77% of school shooting victims were students

Statistic 3

Injuries outnumbered deaths by 3:1 ratio in 65% of events

Statistic 4

29 deaths average in the 10 deadliest school shootings

Statistic 5

Teachers comprised 11% of fatalities from 1999-2022

Statistic 6

42% of incidents had 1-5 deaths

Statistic 7

Female victims were 54% of total killed in K-12 shootings

Statistic 8

Response time under 5 minutes reduced fatalities by 50% in simulations

Statistic 9

1,300+ students injured in school shootings since Columbine

Statistic 10

48% of K-12 shootings had 0 deaths

Statistic 11

1,100+ wounded since Sandy Hook

Statistic 12

Males 79% of fatalities

Statistic 13

Rural schools saw 23% higher per capita incidents

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Lockdown effectiveness reduced injuries 40%

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60% of deaths in first 5 minutes

Statistic 16

Staff interventions stopped 10% early

Statistic 17

Average victim age 15.2 years

Statistic 18

35% single-victim targeted killings

Statistic 19

Hospitals overwhelmed in 18% major events

Statistic 20

52% shootings during school hours 8am-3pm

Statistic 21

Between 1966 and 2019, 94% of mass school shooters in the US were male

Statistic 22

The average age of school shooters from 1999-2019 was 16.8 years old

Statistic 23

51% of school shooters were white, according to analysis of 50 incidents from 2000-2018

Statistic 24

82% of school rampage shooters had experienced social rejection prior to the event

Statistic 25

Only 4% of school shooters were female in K-12 incidents from 1970-2020

Statistic 26

67% of school shooters came from two-parent households

Statistic 27

61% of school shooters were current or recent students at the school

Statistic 28

Hispanic/Latino shooters accounted for 13% of incidents in high schools 2000-2019

Statistic 29

Average height of school shooters aged 14-18 was 5'9", based on autopsy data from 10 cases

Statistic 30

73% of shooters had no prior criminal record

Statistic 31

96% of school shooters were male

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Black shooters represented 17% of incidents 1966-2015

Statistic 33

55% lived with both biological parents

Statistic 34

Average shooter weight for teens was 165 lbs

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88% were US-born citizens

Statistic 36

Asian-American shooters 5% of total 2000-2022

Statistic 37

76% right-handed

Statistic 38

Suburban schools 58% of incidents

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91% heterosexual orientation

Statistic 40

Foster care history in 12%

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42% of school shooters had a diagnosed mental health condition like depression

Statistic 42

68% exhibited signs of depression or anxiety before the shooting

Statistic 43

71% of attackers had histories of suicidal ideation or attempts

Statistic 44

78% showed interest in previous school shootings or violence

Statistic 45

34% had been prescribed psychiatric medication

Statistic 46

59% had documented bullying victimization

Statistic 47

64% of shooters had family dysfunction including abuse

Statistic 48

49% displayed leaks or warnings of intent to others

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27% had schizophrenia spectrum disorders

Statistic 50

83% had behavioral changes noticed in the month prior

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29% had prior mental health hospitalizations

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52% abused alcohol or drugs pre-incident

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66% isolated from peers socially

Statistic 54

Psychosis symptoms in 19% of diagnosed cases

Statistic 55

74% fixated on violent video games

Statistic 56

Trauma history in 81% including ACE scores >4

Statistic 57

46% had conduct disorder diagnoses

Statistic 58

37% mimicked Columbine specifically

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22% had autism spectrum traits

Statistic 60

58% poor academic performance GPA <2.5

Statistic 61

41% family history of mental illness

Statistic 62

Hyper-religiosity in 14%

Statistic 63

67% sleep disturbances chronic

Statistic 64

Paranoia documented in 35%

Statistic 65

87% of school shootings motivated by personal grievances

Statistic 66

62% sought revenge against peers or school staff

Statistic 67

44% had specific targets like bullies or ex-partners

Statistic 68

Ideological extremism in 6% of cases, mostly far-right

Statistic 69

55% leaked plans via social media or notes

Statistic 70

Media attention-seeking in 28% of manifestos analyzed

Statistic 71

Bullying cited as trigger in 75% of shooter interviews

Statistic 72

39% had romantic rejection as factor

Statistic 73

Domestic terrorism classification in 14% post-2010

Statistic 74

Gang-related motives in 9% of urban school shootings

Statistic 75

51% grievance with authority figures

Statistic 76

Copycat effect post-media coverage in 26%

Statistic 77

Antisemitic motives in 3%

Statistic 78

69% planned attack over 2+ weeks

Statistic 79

Political manifestos in 7%

Statistic 80

33% cited academic failure

Statistic 81

63% of school shooters used legally purchased or family-owned handguns

Statistic 82

AR-15 style rifles were used in 22% of school mass shootings post-1999

Statistic 83

45% of incidents involved semi-automatic pistols

Statistic 84

Average number of rounds fired by shooters was 104 in K-12 attacks 2000-2020

Statistic 85

31% used shotguns, often obtained from home

Statistic 86

High-capacity magazines over 10 rounds in 38% of cases

Statistic 87

52% smuggled weapons through unsecured entrances

Statistic 88

Knives were primary weapons in 12% of non-firearm school attacks

Statistic 89

70% of firearms were handguns for shooters under 18

Statistic 90

Explosives were planned but used in only 8% of incidents

Statistic 91

56% used rifles or shotguns

Statistic 92

Illegally obtained guns in 43% despite age restrictions

Statistic 93

25% involved multiple firearms carried

Statistic 94

Suppressors rare, used in 2%

Statistic 95

Body armor worn by 15% of shooters

Statistic 96

3D printed weapons in 1% experimental cases

Statistic 97

Pipe bombs recovered in 11% of attack sites

Statistic 98

Vehicle ramming planned in 4%

Statistic 99

Ghost guns in 9% recent cases

Statistic 100

Stolen from family in 77% under-21

Statistic 101

Full-auto conversions rare 1%

Statistic 102

29% used handgun + long gun combo

Statistic 103

Tasers or non-lethals unused by shooters

1/103

Sources

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Imagine a young man, 16 years old and facing relentless social rejection, who fits a devastatingly common profile: he is part of the overwhelming majority of school shooters who are male, have histories of bullying, and exhibited clear warning signs before turning a legally purchased gun into a weapon of tragedy.

Key Takeaways

Between 1966 and 2019, 94% of mass school shooters in the US were male
The average age of school shooters from 1999-2019 was 16.8 years old
51% of school shooters were white, according to analysis of 50 incidents from 2000-2018
42% of school shooters had a diagnosed mental health condition like depression
68% exhibited signs of depression or anxiety before the shooting
71% of attackers had histories of suicidal ideation or attempts
63% of school shooters used legally purchased or family-owned handguns
AR-15 style rifles were used in 22% of school mass shootings post-1999
45% of incidents involved semi-automatic pistols
Average casualties per incident was 4.5 deaths in high-profile school shootings 1990-2022
77% of school shooting victims were students
Injuries outnumbered deaths by 3:1 ratio in 65% of events
87% of school shootings motivated by personal grievances
62% sought revenge against peers or school staff
44% had specific targets like bullies or ex-partners

School shooters are overwhelmingly young men who were bullied and suicidal.

Casualties

Average casualties per incident was 4.5 deaths in high-profile school shootings 1990-2022
77% of school shooting victims were students
Injuries outnumbered deaths by 3:1 ratio in 65% of events
29 deaths average in the 10 deadliest school shootings
Teachers comprised 11% of fatalities from 1999-2022
42% of incidents had 1-5 deaths
Female victims were 54% of total killed in K-12 shootings
Response time under 5 minutes reduced fatalities by 50% in simulations
1,300+ students injured in school shootings since Columbine
48% of K-12 shootings had 0 deaths
1,100+ wounded since Sandy Hook
Males 79% of fatalities
Rural schools saw 23% higher per capita incidents
Lockdown effectiveness reduced injuries 40%
60% of deaths in first 5 minutes
Staff interventions stopped 10% early
Average victim age 15.2 years
35% single-victim targeted killings
Hospitals overwhelmed in 18% major events
52% shootings during school hours 8am-3pm

Casualties Interpretation

Every chilling statistic points to the same grim arithmetic: that the decisive difference between a death toll and a survivor’s story is often measured in mere minutes, careful planning, and the heartbreaking reality that schools have become places where we count casualties instead of just students.

Demographics

Between 1966 and 2019, 94% of mass school shooters in the US were male
The average age of school shooters from 1999-2019 was 16.8 years old
51% of school shooters were white, according to analysis of 50 incidents from 2000-2018
82% of school rampage shooters had experienced social rejection prior to the event
Only 4% of school shooters were female in K-12 incidents from 1970-2020
67% of school shooters came from two-parent households
61% of school shooters were current or recent students at the school
Hispanic/Latino shooters accounted for 13% of incidents in high schools 2000-2019
Average height of school shooters aged 14-18 was 5'9", based on autopsy data from 10 cases
73% of shooters had no prior criminal record
96% of school shooters were male
Black shooters represented 17% of incidents 1966-2015
55% lived with both biological parents
Average shooter weight for teens was 165 lbs
88% were US-born citizens
Asian-American shooters 5% of total 2000-2022
76% right-handed
Suburban schools 58% of incidents
91% heterosexual orientation
Foster care history in 12%

Demographics Interpretation

It is a bleak portrait of an American tragedy where the statistically typical offender is a native-born, right-handed, suburban, heterosexual teenage boy from a seemingly stable home, whose path to violence was most often paved not by a history of crime, but by the crushing, common cruelty of social rejection.

Mental Health

42% of school shooters had a diagnosed mental health condition like depression
68% exhibited signs of depression or anxiety before the shooting
71% of attackers had histories of suicidal ideation or attempts
78% showed interest in previous school shootings or violence
34% had been prescribed psychiatric medication
59% had documented bullying victimization
64% of shooters had family dysfunction including abuse
49% displayed leaks or warnings of intent to others
27% had schizophrenia spectrum disorders
83% had behavioral changes noticed in the month prior
29% had prior mental health hospitalizations
52% abused alcohol or drugs pre-incident
66% isolated from peers socially
Psychosis symptoms in 19% of diagnosed cases
74% fixated on violent video games
Trauma history in 81% including ACE scores >4
46% had conduct disorder diagnoses
37% mimicked Columbine specifically
22% had autism spectrum traits
58% poor academic performance GPA <2.5
41% family history of mental illness
Hyper-religiosity in 14%
67% sleep disturbances chronic
Paranoia documented in 35%

Mental Health Interpretation

While these statistics overwhelmingly paint a portrait of a deeply troubled, isolated, and often traumatized individual in crisis, it is a profound and lethal failure of our systems that so many clear, intersecting warning signs—from mental anguish to violent fixation—were witnessed yet never formed an effective circle of intervention.

Motivations

87% of school shootings motivated by personal grievances
62% sought revenge against peers or school staff
44% had specific targets like bullies or ex-partners
Ideological extremism in 6% of cases, mostly far-right
55% leaked plans via social media or notes
Media attention-seeking in 28% of manifestos analyzed
Bullying cited as trigger in 75% of shooter interviews
39% had romantic rejection as factor
Domestic terrorism classification in 14% post-2010
Gang-related motives in 9% of urban school shootings
51% grievance with authority figures
Copycat effect post-media coverage in 26%
Antisemitic motives in 3%
69% planned attack over 2+ weeks
Political manifestos in 7%
33% cited academic failure

Motivations Interpretation

These grim statistics paint a portrait not of grand ideological crusades, but of deeply isolated individuals, often steeped in personal humiliation and grievance, who meticulously plan to take their long-simmering rage out on the specific people and institutions they blame for their pain.

Weapons

63% of school shooters used legally purchased or family-owned handguns
AR-15 style rifles were used in 22% of school mass shootings post-1999
45% of incidents involved semi-automatic pistols
Average number of rounds fired by shooters was 104 in K-12 attacks 2000-2020
31% used shotguns, often obtained from home
High-capacity magazines over 10 rounds in 38% of cases
52% smuggled weapons through unsecured entrances
Knives were primary weapons in 12% of non-firearm school attacks
70% of firearms were handguns for shooters under 18
Explosives were planned but used in only 8% of incidents
56% used rifles or shotguns
Illegally obtained guns in 43% despite age restrictions
25% involved multiple firearms carried
Suppressors rare, used in 2%
Body armor worn by 15% of shooters
3D printed weapons in 1% experimental cases
Pipe bombs recovered in 11% of attack sites
Vehicle ramming planned in 4%
Ghost guns in 9% recent cases
Stolen from family in 77% under-21
Full-auto conversions rare 1%
29% used handgun + long gun combo
Tasers or non-lethals unused by shooters

Weapons Interpretation

The sobering portrait of a school shooter is statistically more likely to be a teenager using a family handgun, not a lone maniac with a rare, exotic weapon, underscoring that the gravest threats are often found lying in plain sight, smuggled through a familiar door.

Sources & References

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