The rapidly expanding definition of a Mass Shooting... Everytown.

[WarGamer]

https://everytownresearch.org/mass-shootings-in-america/

When Everytown began tracking mass shootings after the killings at Sandy Hook Elementary, there was no common definition of a mass shooting. In earlier versions of this report, Everytown defined a mass shooting as any incident in which four or more people were killed, excluding the shooter.



Since then, research and news coverage of these tragic events has expanded greatly, but the question of how to best define a mass shooting remains unsettled. Different definitions result in different counts of mass shooting incidents—ranging from roughly a dozen per year to nearly two mass shootings every day—and encompass different causes of gun violence.

By US Statute, a mass shooting is 3+ dead victims... initially, Everytown used a definition of 4+ dead victims.

So when we hear 600+ mass shootings a year nowadays... our immediate thought is "Didn't it used to be like 20-30 a year?"

Here are some statistics using the US Statute definition, (Investigative Assistance for Violent Crimes Act of 2012)

https://www.britannica.com/topic/mass-shooting

2023

13 mass shootings.

81 fatalities

96% Male shooters

53% White

67% weapons obtained legally

35% used Rifles


On that Britannica site, they have a great graphic showing locations of mass shootings and a timeline...

Up until the 90's, mass shootings were really rare, 0-1 a year... in 1993 we saw 4 mass shootings. in 1999 it was 5. From 2000-2005 it was back down again, 1-2 a year... then 2006 opened up our current escalating situation.

Since 2006, we've seen 113 mass shootings involving the murder of 3+ individuals.

Some might want to put the finger on Columbine in 1999, killing 13... but the Luby's Cafeteria shooting in 1991 killed 21.

It also wasn't the first school shooting... Lindhurst High School was in 1992 (not the first though)

Of course the assault rifle is the preferred tool of the mass shooter... and it's regulation is agreed upon by most as the natural first response...

But there's something more going on here... and I've never seen a good explanation.