An epidemiological analysis of public mass shooters and active shooters: Quantifying key differences between perpetrators and the general population, homicide offenders, and people who die by suicide.

Abstract

This study compared public mass shooters (n = 171) and active shooters (n = 63) in the United States to the general population, homicide offenders, and people who die by suicide. Comparisons with the general population are the foundation of epidemiological research, and comparisons with homicide offenders and people who die by suicide are helpful because public mass shooters and active shooters always intend to kill and often take their own lives. Findings indicate that public mass shooters were more often male, unmarried, and unemployed than the average American. Active shooters were not significantly different from the general population based on prior felony convictions or preexisting firearm ownership. Public mass shooters and active shooters appeared more like people who die by suicide than homicide offenders, given their high frequency of premeditation, acting alone, suicidal ideation, and unnatural death. Overall, this suggests that felony histories and firearm ownership may have limited utility for threat assessment, but several suicide prevention strategies might help reduce the prevalence of these attacks. Public Significance StatementThis study suggests that public mass shooters are more often male, unmarried, and unemployed than the average American, but may be no more likely to own firearms (before deciding to attack) or to have had prior felony convictions. Overall, these shooters appear more like people who die by suicide than homicide offenders, given their high prevalence of premeditation, acting alone, suicidal ideation, and unnatural death. Therefore, several suicide prevention strategies may help reduce the prevalence of these attacks.

Assessing the reliability and validity of the North Carolina BeTA Investigation Overview-25 (NCBIO-25) in a sample of active shooters and persons of concern.

“…Contrary to Lankford et al's (2021) hypotheses, mass shooters did not possess firearms or have prior felony convictions at higher rates than the average American. Mass shooters were more likely to have admitted or exhibited suicidal ideation and to have a lifetime thought disorder diagnosis than the general population (Lankford et al, 2021); however, past mental health diagnoses were significantly more common in POC than active shooters (Gibson et al, 2020;Meloy et al, 2019), and the two groups show similar rates of prior suicidal behavior (Gibson et al, 2020).…”

“…Distinguishing between attackers and POC, whose behavior caused concern but who did not subsequently engage in violence, has proven even more challenging. For example, an epidemiological analysis of mass shooters found they were more likely to be unemployed, unmarried, and have military experience than the general population (Lankford et al, 2021), but it is not clear these demographic differences persist when compared with POC. Meloy et al (2019) found terrorist attackers were less likely to be married than POC but observed no significant difference in employment status.…”

Policy & Change: An Analysis of Veteran Perpetrated Mass Shootings & Social Work's Call to Action

“…In terms of public mass shootings, previous studies have examined differences between blue-and white-collar perpetrators (Peterson & Densley, 2019;Silva, 2019;Silva & Greene-Colozzi, 2019), as well as employed and unemployed shooters (Lankford et al, 2021;Pah et al, 2017). While previous research has included military history as a variable of interest (Silva, 2021;Silva & Greene-Colozzi, 2021b), there is a dearth of research exploring an association been a specific occupation (e.g., military) and rates of casualty in public mass shootings.…”

Sexually Frustrated Mass Shooters: A Study of Perpetrators, Profiles, Behaviors, and Victims

“…Most notably, public mass shooters are almost always male (Duwe, 2020). They also tend to be young (Lankford et al, 2021). In addition, approximately 80% of perpetrators are unmarried when they attack, and they appear unlikely to have children (Peterson & Densley, 2021).…”

“…In addition, approximately 80% of perpetrators are unmarried when they attack, and they appear unlikely to have children (Peterson & Densley, 2021). Finally, public mass shooters are more likely to be unemployed than the average American (Lankford et al, 2021). Overall, this suggests that being young, male, unmarried, childless, and unemployed may be associated with both sexual frustration problems and public mass shootings.…”