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In the most recent incident of gun violence to shake American families and communities, a 28-year-old from Nashville ended the lives of three children and three adults at a private Christian elementary school.
The United States has the highest number of school-related shootings in the world. The map below, created by Reddit user reaofsunshine_ shows the fatal school shooting events (the number of separate deadly school shooting attacks) reported worldwide since 2000.
There have been 452 school shootings events since 2000, with 199 people killed and 424 injured in the United States. There were more school shootings in 2022 — 46 than in any year since 1999.
The total number of fatal school shootings in the country since 2000 is 181.
The 10 deadliest school shootings in the U.S.
2007 Virginia Tech shooting (33 dead)
2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut (27 killed)
2022 Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas (22 dead)
2018 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida (17 killed)
2018 Santa Fe High School shooting in Texas (10 dead)
2015 Umpqua Community College shooting near Roseburg, Oregon (10 killed)
2005 Red Lake shootings in Minnesota (10 dead)
2012 Oikos University shooting in Oakland, California (7 killed)
2008 Northern Illinois University shooting (6 dead)
2006 West Nickel Mines School shooting in Bart Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (6 killed)
The deadliest in the U.S. history happened in Bath Township of Michigan in 1927 (“Bath School disaster“). A former school board member detonated explosives in the Bath Consolidated School, killing 38 elementary school children and 6 adults.
School shootings are complex and multifaceted events that can have various causes. Some possible factors that may contribute to school shootings include:
Mental health issues: Many school shooters have a history of mental illness or emotional distress. Studies have shown that individuals with mental health problems are more likely to engage in violent behavior.
Access to firearms: In some cases, school shooters may have obtained firearms from their own homes or through other means, such as purchasing them illegally.
Social isolation: School shooters may feel alienated or rejected by their peers and may turn to violence as a way of gaining attention or seeking revenge.
Bullying: Some school shooters have reported being victims of bullying or harassment, which may have contributed to their feelings of anger and resentment.
Copycat behavior: In some cases, school shootings may be influenced by previous incidents of school violence, as individuals may seek to emulate or surpass the actions of previous shooters.
The number of school shootings in the United States has varied over time, but there has been an overall increase in the frequency and severity of these incidents in recent years.
