First Report from the Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium Outlines What We Know about Mass Shootings and Urges Fact-Based Policy Solutions

Albany, NY — A new report from the Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium confirms that mass shootings in the United States have been steadily rising for the past 50 years and establishes a baseline of knowledge for an objective understanding of the problem. 

“Can Mass Shootings be Stopped? To Address the Problem, We Must Better Understand the Phenomenon” is the first report from the Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium, an effort between six states and Puerto Rico to reduce firearm-involved violence through interdisciplinary research and analysis. It outlines what we currently know about mass shootings — how often they occur, who commits them, where they happen, what weapons are used, and trends over the past 50 years — and highlights the need for a common, precise definition to begin building effective policy solutions.
 
“The urgency of America’s growing problem with gun violence demands that we seek answers sincerely and objectively,” said Rockefeller Institute President Jim Malatras. “This report, the first from the Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium, dispels common myths and clearly establishes what we know about gun violence in America over the past five decades. This provides an important foundation for policymakers and researchers as the consortium’s work moves forward.”

Wide variation in the definition of “mass shooting” can lead to misconceptions about the nature of the problem. Using a clear and accurate definition, the report authors found the following:

+ Mass shootings in the United States have been steadily increasing in frequency since 1966. 

+ There are between 19 and 20 per year under the definition used in the report, which uses the 1999 shooting at Columbine High School as a guide.

+ Between 1966 and 2016, a total of 340 mass shootings occurred in the United States. They resulted in 1,141 deaths and a total of 2,526 victims (both injured and killed).

+ The most common locations of mass shootings are workplaces and schools, respectively.

+ Handguns are significantly more likely to be used in mass shootings than assault rifles.

+ The vast majority of shooters (94.1 percent) are solo males. Just over half are white.

Given the variation found within mass shooting events — the difference between a school shooting and gang-related violence, for example — a one-size-fits-all solution is not likely to work. This report lays the foundation for a fact-based, contextual understanding of the problem that can guide targeted policy solutions.

The report was written by Jaclyn Schildkraut, assistant professor of public justice at SUNY Oswego and a national expert on mass shootings; Margaret K. Formica, assistant professor of public health and preventive medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University; and Jim Malatras, president of the Rockefeller Institute of Government.
 
Read the full report.