The 2023 to 2024 school year has logged 82 incidents by May, according to Education Week. Across 1999 to 2023, the Washington Post tally links these attacks to 388 deaths. The same records show how fatal outcomes and injury counts depend on timing and location, not just the number of incidents.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023-2024 school year, 82 incidents by May per Education Week
- From 1970 to June 2022, there were 1,375 K-12 school shootings resulting in 515 deaths excluding the perpetrator
- High schools host 55% of shootings per NCES location data
- 85% of school shooters are male aged 11-18 per FBI profile
- Handguns used in 70% of incidents per FBI NIBRS 2010-2022
Most school shooting incidents involve fewer victims than people expect, but even rare events cause lasting harm.
Related reading
01 · Category
Fatalities and Injuries30 stats
01
In 2023-2024 school year, 82 incidents by May per Education Week
02
School shootings caused 388 deaths from 1999-2023 per Washington Post tally
03
From 1970-2022, 1,247 people wounded in K-12 school shootings per K12SSDB
04
2022 saw 139 people shot in school incidents per Gun Violence Archive
05
Mass school shootings (4+ killed) averaged 11 deaths each since 1966 per Violence Project
06
Students comprised 70% of 1,100+ fatalities since 1999 per CNN data
07
From 2018-2023, 300+ children injured in school shootings per Everytown
08
Uvalde 2022: 21 killed including 19 children per Texas DPS report
09
Parkland 2018: 17 killed, 17 injured per FBI timeline
10
Sandy Hook 2012: 26 killed plus perpetrator per CT State Police
11
Columbine 1999: 13 killed, 24 injured per Jefferson County Sheriff
12
Oxford 2021: 4 students killed per Oakland County Prosecutor
13
60% of school shooting victims are under 18 per CDC NVDRS 2018-2021
14
2023: 50+ deaths from school shootings per GVA final tally
15
Wounded outnumber killed 3:1 in school shootings per FBI study 2000-2019
16
Black students 2x more likely to be killed in school shootings per Everytown analysis
17
From 1999-2024, 200 teachers/staff killed or injured per WaPo database
18
Annual average 30 deaths from school gun violence 2013-2023 per Johns Hopkins
19
40% of school shooting deaths occur in first minute per Police Executive Research Forum
20
2021-2022: 27 killed in K-12 shootings per Education Week
21
Males are 90% of fatalities in school mass shootings per Violence Project
22
Indoor shootings cause 80% of deaths vs outdoor per Secret Service NTAC
23
From 2000-2020, 500+ nonfatal injuries per GVA school filter
24
Elementary school victims average younger age, higher fatality rate per K12SSDB
25
2024 YTD: 70+ injured by September per GVA live tracker
26
Hispanics 15% of victims despite 25% student pop per NCES injury data
27
75% of school shooting deaths from handguns per FBI Crime Data Explorer
28
10% of victims are law enforcement responders per FBI active shooter reports
29
From 1999-2019, 180 student deaths per WaPo interactive
30
Average 4.5 deaths per incident in mass school shootings per Mother Jones
Interpretation
Fatalities and Injuries Interpretation
These statistics reveal a chilling algebra of American tragedy where children are both the primary target and collateral damage in an epidemic that calculates young lives in percentages and ratios instead of tears.
02 · Category
Incidents and Frequency30 stats
01
From 1970 to June 2022, there were 1,375 K-12 school shootings resulting in 515 deaths excluding the perpetrator
02
In 2023, the US recorded 249 school shootings, the highest annual total on record per Gun Violence Archive
03
Between 1999 and 2024, the Washington Post database lists 428 school shootings with 4 or more people shot
04
From 1966 to 2019, the Violence Project database recorded 203 mass school shootings
05
In the 2021-2022 school year, there were 46 school shootings per Education Week tracker
06
Since Columbine in 1999, there have been over 300 school shootings killing 115 students per CNN analysis
07
From 1970-2023, 933 school attacks worldwide but 66% in the US per Global Terrorism Database
08
In 2022, 81 K-12 school shootings occurred before noon per FBI data
09
Post-2020, school shootings increased 150% compared to pre-pandemic average per Everytown Research
10
From 2018-2023, 40% of school shootings happened on Mondays per National Center for Education Statistics
11
2024 saw 150 school shootings by October per Gun Violence Archive yearly report
12
Between 2000-2020, 25% of mass shootings were at schools per Mother Jones database
13
In the last decade (2013-2023), school shootings tripled from 1990s rates per RAND Corporation study
14
70% of school shootings since 1999 involved handguns as primary weapon per FBI NIBRS
15
From 1990-2022, 1 in 5 US school shootings involved multiple perpetrators per Everytown
16
Annual average of 25 school shootings from 2013-2023 per K-12 School Shooting Database
17
2021 had 35 school shootings, doubling 2019's count per CDC WISQARS
18
Suburban schools saw 40% of incidents from 2000-2020 per US Department of Education
19
Post-Parkland (2018-2024), 200+ school shootings per Washington Post
20
Elementary schools had 15% of shootings despite 20% enrollment per NCES data
21
60% of school shootings last under 5 minutes per FBI Active Shooter Study
22
From 1970-2019, 1400+ US school shooting incidents per Violence Project
23
2020 pandemic year had only 10 school shootings due to remote learning per GVA
24
High schools account for 60% of fatal school shootings since 1999 per CNN
25
Monthly average of 2.5 school shootings in 2023 per Everytown tracker
26
From 1966-2022, 50 mass school shootings with 4+ killed per Wikipedia sourced from FBI
27
Rural areas saw 20% rise in school shootings 2010-2020 per USDA report
28
45 states had at least one school shooting since 2018 per GVA state breakdown
29
Pre-1999 average was 1 school shooting per year, now 40+ per WaPo database
30
Universities had 15% of all school shootings 2000-2023 per Chronicle of Higher Ed
Interpretation
Incidents and Frequency Interpretation
The statistics paint a relentlessly grim portrait of American exceptionalism, where our children endure a horrifying, uniquely domestic terror that begins its morbid count on Mondays and finds that the school bell now too often tolls for them.
03 · Category
Locations and Timing26 stats
01
High schools host 55% of shootings per NCES location data
02
42% occur between 8am-12pm per FBI active shooter timeline
03
Texas leads with 15% of US school shootings 1970-2022 per K12SSDB state map
04
Classrooms site of 60% attacks per Secret Service NTAC
05
Fridays see 22% of incidents per GVA day-of-week report
06
California 10% of total despite largest schools per WaPo database
07
Hallways/cafeterias 25% location per Everytown incident review
08
Spring semester (Jan-May) 55% per Education Week yearly
09
Florida 8% post-Parkland concentration per GVA
10
Parking lots 10% of outdoor incidents per FBI
11
Midwest states 30% of 2000-2020 shootings per Violence Project regional
12
After-school hours (3-6pm) 15% per NCES violence tables
13
Pennsylvania 7% historical share per K12SSDB
14
Gyms/athletic areas 8% per Secret Service site analysis
15
Summer break lowest at 5% annual per GVA seasonal
16
New York low at 2% due to strict laws per Everytown map
17
Administrative offices targeted in 12% per FBI 2014-2022
18
Southeast US 25% of incidents per Violence Project
19
Weekends rare at 3% per WaPo database filter
20
Charter schools 4% despite 7% enrollment per NCES
21
Playgrounds 7% elementary focus per K12SSDB location
22
Illinois 6% midwest hub per GVA state
23
Lunch periods peak time 18% per Education Week
24
Rural districts 20% rise post-2015 per USDA ERS
25
College campuses 12% all school shootings per Chronicle tracker
26
Northeast lowest region at 15% per FBI regional data
Interpretation
Locations and Timing Interpretation
Schools are statistically safest when empty, yet these grim patterns reveal our buildings become targets not at random but in predictable windows of time and space, demanding we move beyond passive security to actively disrupt the cycles of violence that favor crowded hallways on spring Fridays over silent summer weekends.
More related reading
04 · Category
Perpetrator Demographics26 stats
01
85% of school shooters are male aged 11-18 per FBI profile
02
70% of school shooters are current or former students per Secret Service NTAC 2002 study
03
White males comprise 51% of school shooters 1966-2019 per Violence Project database
04
Average age of K-12 school shooter is 15 years per K12SSDB 1970-2022
05
60% of perpetrators experienced bullying per Secret Service 2019 update
06
25% of school shooters had documented mental health issues per FBI 2000-2013
07
Black perpetrators 16% despite 13% pop in school shooter data 1990-2020 per Everytown
08
80% male, 95% under 25 for college shooters per Chronicle analysis
09
40% lived with both parents pre-incident per Violence Project school subset
10
68% of shooters obtained guns from family home per Secret Service
11
Suicidal ideation in 78% of school shooters per Violence Project
12
Hispanic shooters 10% of total 1966-2022 per Violence Project
13
20% of perpetrators were female in K-12 shootings per K12SSDB
14
Average shooter from middle-class background per FBI behavioral analysis
15
50% had criminal history prior to shooting per Everytown perpetrator profiles
16
30% expelled or suspended shortly before per Secret Service NTAC
17
Asian perpetrators rare at 2% per Violence Project US school data
18
62% showed concerning behavior 1 month prior per FBI study
19
Lone wolf in 90% of incidents per Global Terrorism DB school filter
20
45% had leaked plans online per Washington Post analysis
21
Perpetrators under 14: 5% of total per K12SSDB age breakdown
22
70% white non-Hispanic per WaPo database 1999-2024
23
Military veteran status in 3% of school shooters per Violence Project
24
55% diagnosed with depression per aggregated psych studies
25
Urban shooters 25% vs rural 15% per GVA location data
26
82% committed suicide or died during incident per Secret Service
Interpretation
Perpetrator Demographics Interpretation
We must look beyond the lone, monstrous profile to see a preventable crisis defined by accessible firearms, missed warnings, and a culture where troubled young men, often from ordinary backgrounds, choose annihilation over seeking help.
05 · Category
Weapons and Methods27 stats
01
Handguns used in 70% of incidents per FBI NIBRS 2010-2022
02
AR-15 style rifles in 25% of mass school shootings since 1999 per WaPo
03
45% of school shooters used legally purchased guns per Everytown report
04
Shotguns in 10% of incidents 1970-2022 per K12SSDB weapons data
05
Family firearms stolen in 50% of cases per Secret Service NTAC
06
High-capacity magazines used in 40% of post-2010 shootings per Violence Project
07
Knives or melee in 5% of school attacks per GVA broad definition
08
911mm pistols most common handgun caliber per FBI ballistics
09
Improvised explosives in 15% of mass shootings like Columbine per ATF
10
Ghost guns in 8% of recent teen shooter cases per Everytown 2023
11
Rifles cause 60% of fatalities when used per CDC WISQARS
12
Unsecured home guns source for 80% under-18 perpetrators per Johns Hopkins
13
Suppressors rare, under 1% per ATF traces in school cases
14
Multiple weapons in 30% of incidents per FBI active shooter 2000-2019
15
.223/5.56 ammo in 20% of rifle-based attacks per Violence Project
16
Stolen guns from retail in 10% per Bureau of Justice Statistics
17
Body armor worn by 12% of mass shooters per FBI data
18
Airsoft/replica guns mistaken initially in 5% per police reports
19
9mm most lethal in close quarters per Secret Service ballistics review
20
Pipe bombs in 3 historic cases per ATF explosives database
21
3D printed guns in 2% of 2023 incidents per GVA notes
22
Semi-auto pistols 65% primary weapon per WaPo shooter profiles
23
Shotgun gauges 12 most common at 70% per K12SSDB
24
Vehicle ramming combined with guns in 1% per GTD
25
Reload time factor in 25% stopped by victims per FBI
26
AK-47 variants in 5% immigrant shooter cases per Violence Project
27
Incendiary devices in 4% per historical FBI reports
Interpretation
Weapons and Methods Interpretation
These statistics paint a grim, chaotic portrait of an American tragedy where handguns are the most common instrument, unsecured family weapons the most frequent source, and lethality is amplified not by exotic arms but by tragically ordinary access to any firearm.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Nathan Caldwell. (2026, February 13). School Shootings Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/school-shootings-statistics
MLA
Nathan Caldwell. "School Shootings Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/school-shootings-statistics.
Chicago
Nathan Caldwell. 2026. "School Shootings Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/school-shootings-statistics.
Sources & references
32 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level