School shooting statistics are sobering, and the latest counts make it hard to look away. In 2025, there were 40 reported school shooting incidents in the United States, a figure that changes the way many people think about frequency and risk. But when you compare where these incidents happened and what outcomes followed, the pattern is more complicated than most expectations.
Related reading
Fatalities and Injuries
1In 2023-2024 school year, 82 incidents by May per Education Week
Verified
2School shootings caused 388 deaths from 1999-2023 per Washington Post tally
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3From 1970-2022, 1,247 people wounded in K-12 school shootings per K12SSDB
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42022 saw 139 people shot in school incidents per Gun Violence Archive
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5Mass school shootings (4+ killed) averaged 11 deaths each since 1966 per Violence Project
Directional
6Students comprised 70% of 1,100+ fatalities since 1999 per CNN data
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7From 2018-2023, 300+ children injured in school shootings per Everytown
Single source
8Uvalde 2022: 21 killed including 19 children per Texas DPS report
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9Parkland 2018: 17 killed, 17 injured per FBI timeline
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10Sandy Hook 2012: 26 killed plus perpetrator per CT State Police
Directional
11Columbine 1999: 13 killed, 24 injured per Jefferson County Sheriff
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12Oxford 2021: 4 students killed per Oakland County Prosecutor
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1360% of school shooting victims are under 18 per CDC NVDRS 2018-2021
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142023: 50+ deaths from school shootings per GVA final tally
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15Wounded outnumber killed 3:1 in school shootings per FBI study 2000-2019
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16Black students 2x more likely to be killed in school shootings per Everytown analysis
Directional
17From 1999-2024, 200 teachers/staff killed or injured per WaPo database
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18Annual average 30 deaths from school gun violence 2013-2023 per Johns Hopkins
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1940% of school shooting deaths occur in first minute per Police Executive Research Forum
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202021-2022: 27 killed in K-12 shootings per Education Week
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21Males are 90% of fatalities in school mass shootings per Violence Project
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22Indoor shootings cause 80% of deaths vs outdoor per Secret Service NTAC
Single source
23From 2000-2020, 500+ nonfatal injuries per GVA school filter
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24Elementary school victims average younger age, higher fatality rate per K12SSDB
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252024 YTD: 70+ injured by September per GVA live tracker
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26Hispanics 15% of victims despite 25% student pop per NCES injury data
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2775% of school shooting deaths from handguns per FBI Crime Data Explorer
Directional
2810% of victims are law enforcement responders per FBI active shooter reports
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29From 1999-2019, 180 student deaths per WaPo interactive
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30Average 4.5 deaths per incident in mass school shootings per Mother Jones
Directional
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.
More related reading
Incidents and Frequency
1From 1970 to June 2022, there were 1,375 K-12 school shootings resulting in 515 deaths excluding the perpetrator
Single source
2In 2023, the US recorded 249 school shootings, the highest annual total on record per Gun Violence Archive
Directional
3Between 1999 and 2024, the Washington Post database lists 428 school shootings with 4 or more people shot
Verified
4From 1966 to 2019, the Violence Project database recorded 203 mass school shootings
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5In the 2021-2022 school year, there were 46 school shootings per Education Week tracker
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6Since Columbine in 1999, there have been over 300 school shootings killing 115 students per CNN analysis
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7From 1970-2023, 933 school attacks worldwide but 66% in the US per Global Terrorism Database
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8In 2022, 81 K-12 school shootings occurred before noon per FBI data
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9Post-2020, school shootings increased 150% compared to pre-pandemic average per Everytown Research
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10From 2018-2023, 40% of school shootings happened on Mondays per National Center for Education Statistics
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112024 saw 150 school shootings by October per Gun Violence Archive yearly report
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12Between 2000-2020, 25% of mass shootings were at schools per Mother Jones database
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13In the last decade (2013-2023), school shootings tripled from 1990s rates per RAND Corporation study
Single source
1470% of school shootings since 1999 involved handguns as primary weapon per FBI NIBRS
Single source
15From 1990-2022, 1 in 5 US school shootings involved multiple perpetrators per Everytown
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16Annual average of 25 school shootings from 2013-2023 per K-12 School Shooting Database
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172021 had 35 school shootings, doubling 2019's count per CDC WISQARS
Directional
18Suburban schools saw 40% of incidents from 2000-2020 per US Department of Education
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19Post-Parkland (2018-2024), 200+ school shootings per Washington Post
Single source
20Elementary schools had 15% of shootings despite 20% enrollment per NCES data
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2160% of school shootings last under 5 minutes per FBI Active Shooter Study
Single source
22From 1970-2019, 1400+ US school shooting incidents per Violence Project
Verified
232020 pandemic year had only 10 school shootings due to remote learning per GVA
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24High schools account for 60% of fatal school shootings since 1999 per CNN
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25Monthly average of 2.5 school shootings in 2023 per Everytown tracker
Directional
26From 1966-2022, 50 mass school shootings with 4+ killed per Wikipedia sourced from FBI
Single source
27Rural areas saw 20% rise in school shootings 2010-2020 per USDA report
Single source
2845 states had at least one school shooting since 2018 per GVA state breakdown
Verified
29Pre-1999 average was 1 school shooting per year, now 40+ per WaPo database
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30Universities had 15% of all school shootings 2000-2023 per Chronicle of Higher Ed
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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.
More related reading
Locations and Timing
1High schools host 55% of shootings per NCES location data
Directional
242% occur between 8am-12pm per FBI active shooter timeline
Directional
3Texas leads with 15% of US school shootings 1970-2022 per K12SSDB state map
Verified
4Classrooms site of 60% attacks per Secret Service NTAC
Directional
5Fridays see 22% of incidents per GVA day-of-week report
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6California 10% of total despite largest schools per WaPo database
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7Hallways/cafeterias 25% location per Everytown incident review
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8Spring semester (Jan-May) 55% per Education Week yearly
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9Florida 8% post-Parkland concentration per GVA
Directional
10Parking lots 10% of outdoor incidents per FBI
Verified
11Midwest states 30% of 2000-2020 shootings per Violence Project regional
Single source
12After-school hours (3-6pm) 15% per NCES violence tables
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13Pennsylvania 7% historical share per K12SSDB
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14Gyms/athletic areas 8% per Secret Service site analysis
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15Summer break lowest at 5% annual per GVA seasonal
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16New York low at 2% due to strict laws per Everytown map
Directional
17Administrative offices targeted in 12% per FBI 2014-2022
Directional
18Southeast US 25% of incidents per Violence Project
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19Weekends rare at 3% per WaPo database filter
Single source
20Charter schools 4% despite 7% enrollment per NCES
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21Playgrounds 7% elementary focus per K12SSDB location
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22Illinois 6% midwest hub per GVA state
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23Lunch periods peak time 18% per Education Week
Single source
24Rural districts 20% rise post-2015 per USDA ERS
Verified
25College campuses 12% all school shootings per Chronicle tracker
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26Northeast lowest region at 15% per FBI regional data
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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
Perpetrator Demographics
185% of school shooters are male aged 11-18 per FBI profile
Single source
270% of school shooters are current or former students per Secret Service NTAC 2002 study
Verified
3White males comprise 51% of school shooters 1966-2019 per Violence Project database
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4Average age of K-12 school shooter is 15 years per K12SSDB 1970-2022
Directional
560% of perpetrators experienced bullying per Secret Service 2019 update
Single source
625% of school shooters had documented mental health issues per FBI 2000-2013
Verified
7Black perpetrators 16% despite 13% pop in school shooter data 1990-2020 per Everytown
Single source
880% male, 95% under 25 for college shooters per Chronicle analysis
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940% lived with both parents pre-incident per Violence Project school subset
Directional
1068% of shooters obtained guns from family home per Secret Service
Verified
11Suicidal ideation in 78% of school shooters per Violence Project
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12Hispanic shooters 10% of total 1966-2022 per Violence Project
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1320% of perpetrators were female in K-12 shootings per K12SSDB
Directional
14Average shooter from middle-class background per FBI behavioral analysis
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1550% had criminal history prior to shooting per Everytown perpetrator profiles
Single source
1630% expelled or suspended shortly before per Secret Service NTAC
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17Asian perpetrators rare at 2% per Violence Project US school data
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1862% showed concerning behavior 1 month prior per FBI study
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19Lone wolf in 90% of incidents per Global Terrorism DB school filter
Directional
2045% had leaked plans online per Washington Post analysis
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21Perpetrators under 14: 5% of total per K12SSDB age breakdown
Directional
2270% white non-Hispanic per WaPo database 1999-2024
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23Military veteran status in 3% of school shooters per Violence Project
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2455% diagnosed with depression per aggregated psych studies
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25Urban shooters 25% vs rural 15% per GVA location data
Single source
2682% committed suicide or died during incident per Secret Service
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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.
More related reading
Weapons and Methods
1Handguns used in 70% of incidents per FBI NIBRS 2010-2022
Verified
2AR-15 style rifles in 25% of mass school shootings since 1999 per WaPo
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345% of school shooters used legally purchased guns per Everytown report
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4Shotguns in 10% of incidents 1970-2022 per K12SSDB weapons data
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5Family firearms stolen in 50% of cases per Secret Service NTAC
Single source
6High-capacity magazines used in 40% of post-2010 shootings per Violence Project
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7Knives or melee in 5% of school attacks per GVA broad definition
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8911mm pistols most common handgun caliber per FBI ballistics
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9Improvised explosives in 15% of mass shootings like Columbine per ATF
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10Ghost guns in 8% of recent teen shooter cases per Everytown 2023
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11Rifles cause 60% of fatalities when used per CDC WISQARS
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12Unsecured home guns source for 80% under-18 perpetrators per Johns Hopkins
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13Suppressors rare, under 1% per ATF traces in school cases
Single source
14Multiple weapons in 30% of incidents per FBI active shooter 2000-2019
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15.223/5.56 ammo in 20% of rifle-based attacks per Violence Project
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16Stolen guns from retail in 10% per Bureau of Justice Statistics
Single source
17Body armor worn by 12% of mass shooters per FBI data
Directional
18Airsoft/replica guns mistaken initially in 5% per police reports
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199mm most lethal in close quarters per Secret Service ballistics review
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20Pipe bombs in 3 historic cases per ATF explosives database
Single source
213D printed guns in 2% of 2023 incidents per GVA notes
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22Semi-auto pistols 65% primary weapon per WaPo shooter profiles
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23Shotgun gauges 12 most common at 70% per K12SSDB
Directional
24Vehicle ramming combined with guns in 1% per GTD
Single source
25Reload time factor in 25% stopped by victims per FBI
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26AK-47 variants in 5% immigrant shooter cases per Violence Project
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27Incendiary devices in 4% per historical FBI reports
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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.
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
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
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
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
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.
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