Mass shootings in the United States: Difference between revisions
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==Weapons used== |
==Weapons used== |
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Several types of guns have been used in mass shootings in the United States, including rifles, handguns, and shotguns. Weapons with high-capacity magazines have been used in more than half of all mass shootings over four decades,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Fisher|first1=Marc|title=The AR-15: ‘America’s rifle’ or illegitimate killing machine?|url=http://wapo.st/2BZXJAh?tid=ss_mail&utm_term=.3a3b39b67c3c|accessdate=11 May 2018|work=The Washington Post|date=15 February 2018|quote=...high-capacity magazines have been used in more than half of mass shootings over four decades, according to several studies.}}</ref> and [[AR-15]] or similar [[assault weapons|semi-automatic rifles]] have been used in six of the ten deadliest.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Politifact staff||title=The facts on mass shootings, guns in the United States|url=http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2018/may/18/facts-mass-shootings-guns-united-states/|accessdate=11 June 2018|work=Politifact|date=18 May 2018|quote=Are AR-15s/semi-automatics involved in recent mass shootings? Yes. Semi-automatic rifles similar to the AR-15 have been used in high-profile and deadly mass shootings over the years in Aurora, Colo.; Roseburg, Ore.; San Bernadino, Calif.; Newtown, Conn.; Orlando; and in 2017, Las Vegas and Sutherland Springs, Texas.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Pearce|first1=Matt|title=Mass shootings are getting deadlier. And the latest ones all have something new in common: The AR-15|url=http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-ar-15-story.html|accessdate=11 May 2018|work=The Los Angeles Times|date=14 February 2018|quote=in all of the latest incidents...the attackers primarily used AR-15 semiautomatic rifles.}}</ref> AR-15 rifles have come to be widely characterized as the weapon of choice for perpetrators of these crimes.<ref>{{cite news |agency=CNN |title=Why the AR-15 is the mass shooter's go-to weapon |first=Aaron |last=Smith |date=June 21, 2016 |accessdate=February 15, 2018 |url=http://money.cnn.com/2016/06/13/news/ar-15-assault-rifle/index.html |quote=The AR-15, the type of rifle used in the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, is the weapon of choice for mass killers.}}<br/>{{Citation|first=Aimee |last=Picchi |date=June 15, 2016 |title=America's rifle: The marketing of assault-style weapons |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/orlando-shooting-ar15-rifles-omar-mateen/ |publisher=CBS News |work=CBS MoneyWatch |accessdate=February 23, 2018 |quote=America has grown accustomed to military-style semi-automatic weapons such as the AR-15. It's not hard to see why: These firearms have been heavily marketed to gun owners. But at the same time, they're often the weapons of choice for mass murderers.}}<br/>{{Citation|title=Why mass shooters are increasingly using AR-15s |first1=Bart |last1=Jansen |first2=William |last2=Cummings |newspaper=USA Today |date=November 6, 2017 |accessdate=February 15, 2018 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/11/06/ar-15-style-rifles-common-among-mass-shootings/838283001/ |quote=AR-15 style rifles have been the weapon of choice in many recent mass shootings, including the Texas church shooting Sunday, the Las Vegas concert last month, the Orlando nightclub last year and Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012.}}<br/>{{Citation|title=Why AR-15-style rifles are popular among mass shooters |first=Whitney |last=Lloyd |date=February 16, 2018 |accessdate=March 2, 2018 |url=http://abcnews.go.com/US/ar-15-style-rifles-popular-mass-shooters/story?id=53111745 |agency=ABC News |quote=AR-15-style rifles have become something of a weapon of choice for mass shooters.}}<br/>{{Citation |first=Lois |last=Beckett |date=February 16, 2018 |accessdate=March 2, 2018 |title=Most Americans can buy an AR-15 rifle before they can buy beer |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/feb/16/americans-age-to-buy-ar15-assault-rifle-mass-shootings |quote=While AR-15 style rifles have become the weapon of choice for some of America's most recent and deadly mass shootings, these military-style guns are still comparatively rarely used in everyday gun violence.}}</ref> They carry high-capacity magazines, and are accurate, lightweight, highly customizable, and have low recoil.<ref name=usa>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2018/02/14/ar-15-mass-shootings/339519002///|last=Cummings |first=William |title=Why the AR-15 keeps appearing at America's deadliest mass shootings| newspaper =[[USA TODAY]]|accessdate=June 1, 2018|date=February 15, 2018|quote=..."It’s really just a perception thing," Hazen said."There are rifles that are more powerful and more dangerous than that, but they're not being used."For example, Hazen says the AK-47 and its semiautomatic variants is a "far more wicked gun than an AR-15."The AK-47 variants can hold just as many rounds as the AR-15, are more reliable and use larger 7.62 mm rounds as opposed to the standard AR-15's .223 rounds.}}</ref> But AR-15 style rifles are not the only guns with these features. |
Several types of guns have been used in mass shootings in the United States, including rifles, handguns, and shotguns. Weapons with high-capacity magazines have been used in more than half of all mass shootings over four decades,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Fisher|first1=Marc|title=The AR-15: ‘America’s rifle’ or illegitimate killing machine?|url=http://wapo.st/2BZXJAh?tid=ss_mail&utm_term=.3a3b39b67c3c|accessdate=11 May 2018|work=The Washington Post|date=15 February 2018|quote=...high-capacity magazines have been used in more than half of mass shootings over four decades, according to several studies.}}</ref> and [[AR-15]] or similar [[assault weapons|semi-automatic rifles]] have been used in six of the ten deadliest.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Politifact staff||title=The facts on mass shootings, guns in the United States|url=http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2018/may/18/facts-mass-shootings-guns-united-states/|accessdate=11 June 2018|work=Politifact|date=18 May 2018|quote=Are AR-15s/semi-automatics involved in recent mass shootings? Yes. Semi-automatic rifles similar to the AR-15 have been used in high-profile and deadly mass shootings over the years in Aurora, Colo.; Roseburg, Ore.; San Bernadino, Calif.; Newtown, Conn.; Orlando; and in 2017, Las Vegas and Sutherland Springs, Texas.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Pearce|first1=Matt|title=Mass shootings are getting deadlier. And the latest ones all have something new in common: The AR-15|url=http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-ar-15-story.html|accessdate=11 May 2018|work=The Los Angeles Times|date=14 February 2018|quote=in all of the latest incidents...the attackers primarily used AR-15 semiautomatic rifles.}}</ref> AR-15 rifles have come to be widely characterized as the weapon of choice for perpetrators of these crimes.<ref>{{cite news |agency=CNN |title=Why the AR-15 is the mass shooter's go-to weapon |first=Aaron |last=Smith |date=June 21, 2016 |accessdate=February 15, 2018 |url=http://money.cnn.com/2016/06/13/news/ar-15-assault-rifle/index.html |quote=The AR-15, the type of rifle used in the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, is the weapon of choice for mass killers.}}<br/>{{Citation|first=Aimee |last=Picchi |date=June 15, 2016 |title=America's rifle: The marketing of assault-style weapons |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/orlando-shooting-ar15-rifles-omar-mateen/ |publisher=CBS News |work=CBS MoneyWatch |accessdate=February 23, 2018 |quote=America has grown accustomed to military-style semi-automatic weapons such as the AR-15. It's not hard to see why: These firearms have been heavily marketed to gun owners. But at the same time, they're often the weapons of choice for mass murderers.}}<br/>{{Citation|title=Why mass shooters are increasingly using AR-15s |first1=Bart |last1=Jansen |first2=William |last2=Cummings |newspaper=USA Today |date=November 6, 2017 |accessdate=February 15, 2018 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/11/06/ar-15-style-rifles-common-among-mass-shootings/838283001/ |quote=AR-15 style rifles have been the weapon of choice in many recent mass shootings, including the Texas church shooting Sunday, the Las Vegas concert last month, the Orlando nightclub last year and Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012.}}<br/>{{Citation|title=Why AR-15-style rifles are popular among mass shooters |first=Whitney |last=Lloyd |date=February 16, 2018 |accessdate=March 2, 2018 |url=http://abcnews.go.com/US/ar-15-style-rifles-popular-mass-shooters/story?id=53111745 |agency=ABC News |quote=AR-15-style rifles have become something of a weapon of choice for mass shooters.}}<br/>{{Citation |first=Lois |last=Beckett |date=February 16, 2018 |accessdate=March 2, 2018 |title=Most Americans can buy an AR-15 rifle before they can buy beer |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/feb/16/americans-age-to-buy-ar15-assault-rifle-mass-shootings |quote=While AR-15 style rifles have become the weapon of choice for some of America's most recent and deadly mass shootings, these military-style guns are still comparatively rarely used in everyday gun violence.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Max |last=Samis |date=April 22, 2018 |accessdate=May 4, 2018 |title=Brady Campaign Responds to Developments in Nashville Waffle House Shooting|newspaper=[[Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence]] |url=http://www.bradycampaign.org/brady-responds-to-developments-in-nashville-waffle-house-shooting |quote=Kris Brown, co-president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, stated, 'It adds insult to the literal injuries and loss of life suffered by today's victims that even though the killer was known to be too dangerous to have guns, his father chose to rearm him including, reportedly, with the AR-15 used this morning, a weapon of war that now happens to be the weapon of choice in far too many mass killings in America.'}}</ref> They carry high-capacity magazines, and are accurate, lightweight, highly customizable, and have low recoil.<ref name=usa>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2018/02/14/ar-15-mass-shootings/339519002///|last=Cummings |first=William |title=Why the AR-15 keeps appearing at America's deadliest mass shootings| newspaper =[[USA TODAY]]|accessdate=June 1, 2018|date=February 15, 2018|quote=..."It’s really just a perception thing," Hazen said."There are rifles that are more powerful and more dangerous than that, but they're not being used."For example, Hazen says the AK-47 and its semiautomatic variants is a "far more wicked gun than an AR-15."The AK-47 variants can hold just as many rounds as the AR-15, are more reliable and use larger 7.62 mm rounds as opposed to the standard AR-15's .223 rounds.}}</ref> But AR-15 style rifles are not the only guns with these features. |
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More than any attribute of the AR-15, expert Dean Hazen reasons mass shooters are turning to the rifle because of a "copy-cat" mentality. Experts told ABC News "it has nothing to do with the AR-15's lethality, but rather simple familiarity." Perhaps they choose the AR-15 based on the reputation it has received from other shootings or that it is the "weapon of choice" for police. But the police "choose it because it is under-powered...", "making it less likely to penetrate interior walls and hit an unintended target." Pete Blair, executive director of Texas State University's Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center—which studies mass murder—echoed Hazen's comments.<ref name=usa/><ref name=today>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/11/06/ar-15-style-rifles-common-among-mass-shootings/838283001|last=Jansen |first=Bart |title=Why mass shooters are increasingly using AR-15s|newspaper =[[USA TODAY]]|accessdate=June 1, 2018|date=November 8, 2017 |quote=...Hazen said the AR-15 has "gotten a bad rap." He believes mass shooters generally don't know much about guns and choose the AR-15 because of the reputation it has gotten from being used in other mass shootings."Thank God they don't know any better because if they did they would use much more effective weapons," Hazen said}}</ref><ref name=abc>{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/ar-15-style-rifles-popular-mass-shooters/story?id=53111745|last=Lloyd |first=Whitney |title=Why AR-15-style rifles are popular among mass shooters| publisher=[[ABC News]]|accessdate=June 6, 2018|date=February 16, 2018|quote=...the shooter had low knowledge of firearms. They just grabbed what they know, and that’s the AR-15.” The fact that so many mass shooters are using the same gun is what sociologists call “social proof,” he added.“You’re in an ambiguous situation and you don’t know what to do that. That can be looking at what silverware other people use at a fancy dinner party and copying them, or it can be using the same type of weapon other shooters have used if you’re planning a mass shooting.” }}</ref> |
More than any attribute of the AR-15, expert Dean Hazen reasons mass shooters are turning to the rifle because of a "copy-cat" mentality. Experts told ABC News "it has nothing to do with the AR-15's lethality, but rather simple familiarity." Perhaps they choose the AR-15 based on the reputation it has received from other shootings or that it is the "weapon of choice" for police. But the police "choose it because it is under-powered...", "making it less likely to penetrate interior walls and hit an unintended target." Pete Blair, executive director of Texas State University's Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center—which studies mass murder—echoed Hazen's comments.<ref name=usa/><ref name=today>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/11/06/ar-15-style-rifles-common-among-mass-shootings/838283001|last=Jansen |first=Bart |title=Why mass shooters are increasingly using AR-15s|newspaper =[[USA TODAY]]|accessdate=June 1, 2018|date=November 8, 2017 |quote=...Hazen said the AR-15 has "gotten a bad rap." He believes mass shooters generally don't know much about guns and choose the AR-15 because of the reputation it has gotten from being used in other mass shootings."Thank God they don't know any better because if they did they would use much more effective weapons," Hazen said}}</ref><ref name=abc>{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/ar-15-style-rifles-popular-mass-shooters/story?id=53111745|last=Lloyd |first=Whitney |title=Why AR-15-style rifles are popular among mass shooters| publisher=[[ABC News]]|accessdate=June 6, 2018|date=February 16, 2018|quote=...the shooter had low knowledge of firearms. They just grabbed what they know, and that’s the AR-15.” The fact that so many mass shooters are using the same gun is what sociologists call “social proof,” he added.“You’re in an ambiguous situation and you don’t know what to do that. That can be looking at what silverware other people use at a fancy dinner party and copying them, or it can be using the same type of weapon other shooters have used if you’re planning a mass shooting.” }}</ref> |
Revision as of 18:02, 12 June 2018
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There is no fixed definition of a mass shooting,[2] but a common definition is an act of violence — excluding gang killings, domestic violence, or terrorist acts sponsored by an organization — in which a gunman kills at least four victims. Using this definition, one study found that nearly one-third of the world's public mass shootings between 1966 and 2012 (90 of 292 incidents) occurred in the United States.[3][4] Using the same definition, Gun Violence Archive records 152 mass shootings in the United States between 1967 and May 2018, averaging eight fatalities per incident when the perpetrator's death is included.[5]
The United States has had more mass shootings than any other country.[6][3][7][8] The overwhelming majority of perpetrators are white American males and act alone,[9] and they generally either commit suicide or are restrained or killed by law enforcement officers or civilians.[10]
Definition
There is no fixed definition of a mass shooting in the United States.[2] The Investigative Assistance for Violent Crimes Act of 2012, signed into law by Congress in January 2013, defines a "mass killing" as one resulting in at least 3 victims, excluding the perpetrator.[11][2][12][13] In 2015, the Congressional Research Service defined a mass shooting as "a multiple homicide incident in which four or more victims are murdered with firearms, within one event, and in one or more locations in close proximity".[14] A broader definition, as used by the Gun Violence Archive, is that of "4 or more shot or killed, not including the shooter".[15] This definition, of four people shot regardless of whether or not that results in injury or death, is often used by the press and non-profit organizations.[16][17][18][19][20]
Frequency
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Lasvegassignflowers.jpg/220px-Lasvegassignflowers.jpg)
Studies indicate that the rate at which public mass shootings occur has tripled since 2011. Between 1982 and 2011, a mass shooting occurred roughly once every 200 days. However, between 2011 and 2014 that rate has accelerated greatly with at least one mass shooting occurring every 64 days in the United States.[21]
In recent years, the number of public mass shootings has increased substantially, although there has been an approximately 50% decrease in firearm homicides in the nation overall since 1993. The decrease in firearm homicides has been attributed to better policing, a better economy and environmental factors such as the removal of lead from gasoline.[22] However, this does not account for an increase in firearm injuries or suicides, nor explain the increase in mass shootings.
Differing sources
A comprehensive report by USA Today tracked all mass killings from 2006 through 2017 in which the perpetrator willfully killed 4 or more people. For mass killings by firearm for instance, it found 271 incidents with a total of 1,358 victims.[23] Mother Jones listed seven mass shootings, defined as indiscriminate rampages in public places resulting in four or more victims killed,[24] in the U.S. for 2015.[25] An analysis by Michael Bloomberg's gun violence prevention group, Everytown for Gun Safety, identified 110 mass shootings, defined as shootings in which at least four people were murdered with a firearm, between January 2009 and July 2014; at least 57% were related to domestic or family violence.[26][27]
Other media outlets have reported that hundreds of mass shootings take place in the United States in a single calendar year, citing a crowd-funded website known as Shooting Tracker which defines a mass shooting as having four or more people injured or killed.[18] In December 2015, The Washington Post reported that there had been 355 mass shootings in the United States so far that year.[28] In August 2015, The Washington Post reported that the United States was averaging one mass shooting per day.[29] An earlier report had indicated that in 2015 alone, there had been 294 mass shootings that killed or injured 1,464 people.[30] Shooting Tracker and Mass Shooting Tracker, the two sites that the media have been citing, have been criticized for using a broader criteria – counting four victims injured as a mass shooting – thus producing much higher figures.[31][32]
Contributing factors
Several possible factors may work together to create a fertile environment for mass murder in the United States.[33] Most commonly suggested include:
- Higher accessibility and ownership of guns.[33][3][8] The US has the highest per-capita gun ownership in the world with 88.8 firearms per 100 people; the second highest is Yemen with 54.8 firearms per 100 people.[33]
- Mental illness[34][35][36] and its treatment (or the lack thereof) with psychiatric drugs.[37] This is controversial. Many of the mass shooters in the U.S. suffered from mental illness, but the estimated number of mental illness cases has not increased as significantly as the number of mass shootings.[3]
- The desire to seek revenge for a long history of being bullied.[38]
- Desire for fame and notoriety.[33][3]
- The copycat phenomenon.[3]
- Failure of government background checks due to incomplete databases and/or staff shortages.[39][40]
- The widespread chronic gap between people's expectations for themselves and their actual achievement,[33] and individualistic culture.[41]
Weapons used
Several types of guns have been used in mass shootings in the United States, including rifles, handguns, and shotguns. Weapons with high-capacity magazines have been used in more than half of all mass shootings over four decades,[42] and AR-15 or similar semi-automatic rifles have been used in six of the ten deadliest.[43][44] AR-15 rifles have come to be widely characterized as the weapon of choice for perpetrators of these crimes.[45][46] They carry high-capacity magazines, and are accurate, lightweight, highly customizable, and have low recoil.[47] But AR-15 style rifles are not the only guns with these features.
More than any attribute of the AR-15, expert Dean Hazen reasons mass shooters are turning to the rifle because of a "copy-cat" mentality. Experts told ABC News "it has nothing to do with the AR-15's lethality, but rather simple familiarity." Perhaps they choose the AR-15 based on the reputation it has received from other shootings or that it is the "weapon of choice" for police. But the police "choose it because it is under-powered...", "making it less likely to penetrate interior walls and hit an unintended target." Pete Blair, executive director of Texas State University's Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center—which studies mass murder—echoed Hazen's comments.[47][48][49]
Deadliest mass shootings
The following mass shootings are the deadliest to have occurred in modern U.S. history (1949 to present). Only incidents with ten or more fatalities are included.[50]
- † Was previously the deadliest mass shooting
Incident | Year | Deaths | Injuries | Type of firearm(s) used | Ref(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Las Vegas shooting | 2017 | 59 (inc. the perp.) | 851 | Modified semi-automatic rifles and pistols | [51][52] |
2 | Orlando nightclub shooting † | 2016 | 50 (inc. the perp.) | 58 | Semi-automatic rifle and pistol | [51][52] |
3 | Virginia Tech shooting † | 2007 | 33 (inc. the perp.) | 23 | Semi-automatic pistols | [51] |
4 | Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting | 2012 | 28 (inc. the perp.) | 2 | Semi-automatic rifle and pistol | [51] |
5 | Sutherland Springs church shooting | 2017 | 27 (inc. the perp.)[fn 1] | 20 | Semi-automatic rifle | [53][52] |
6 | Luby's shooting † | 1991 | 24 (inc. the perp.) | 27 | Semi-automatic pistols | [51] |
7 | San Ysidro McDonald's massacre † | 1984 | 23 (inc. the perp.)[fn 1] | 19 | Multiple types of firearms | [51] |
8 | University of Texas tower shooting † | 1966 | 18 (inc. the perp.)[fn 1] | 31 | Rifles, revolver, pistols and shotgun | [51] |
9 | Stoneman Douglas High School shooting | 2018 | 17 | 17 | Semi-automatic rifle | [54] |
10 | San Bernardino attack | 2015 | 16 (inc. both perps.) | 24 | Semi-automatic rifles | [51][52] |
11 | Edmond post office shooting | 1986 | 15 (inc. the perp.) | 6 | Semi-automatic pistols | [51] |
Columbine High School massacre | 1999 | 15 (inc. both perps.) | 24 | Shotguns and semi automatic pistols | [55] | |
13 | Binghamton shootings | 2009 | 14 (inc. the perp.) | 4 | Semi-automatic pistols | [55] |
Fort Hood shooting | 2009 | 14 [fn 1] | 33 (inc. the perp.) | Semi-automatic pistol and revolver | [55] | |
15 | Camden shootings † | 1949 | 13 | 3 | Semi-automatic pistol | [55] |
Wilkes-Barre shootings | 1982 | 13 | 1 | Semi-automatic rifle | [55] | |
Wah Mee massacre | 1983 | 13 | 1 | Multiple types of firearms | [56] | |
Washington Navy Yard shooting | 2013 | 13 (inc. the perp.) | 8 | Semi-automatic pistol and shotgun | [55] | |
19 | Aurora shooting | 2012 | 12 | 70 | Semi-automatic rifle, pistol, shotgun | [55][52] |
20 | Easter Sunday massacre | 1975 | 11 | 0 | Semi-automatic pistols and revolver | [57] |
Geneva County massacre | 2009 | 11 (inc. the perp.) | 6 | Semi-automatic rifles, revolver, and shotgun | [55] | |
22 | Palm Sunday massacre | 1984 | 10 | 0 | Semi-automatic pistols | [58] |
GMAC shootings | 1990 | 10 (inc. the perp.) | 6 | Semi-automatic rifle | [51] | |
Atlanta shootings | 1999 | 10 (inc. the perp.) | 13 | Semi-automatic pistols and revolver | [51] | |
Red Lake shootings | 2005 | 10 (inc. the perp.) | 5 | Semi-automatic pistols and shotgun | [55] | |
Umpqua Community College shooting | 2015 | 10 (inc. the perp.) | 8 | Semi-automatic pistols and revolver | [55] | |
Santa Fe High School shooting | 2018 | 10 | 14 (inc. the perp.) | Shotgun and revolver | [59] |
See also
- Gun laws in the United States
- Gun laws in the United States by state
- Gun violence in the United States
- List of rampage killers (Americas)
- Racism in the United States
- School shootings in the United States
- Spree killer
Notes
References
- ^ "US Mass Shootings, 1982–2017: Data From Mother Jones' Investigation".
- ^ a b c Greenberg, Jacobson & Valverde, Jon, Louis & Miriam (February 14, 2018). "What we know about mass shootings". Politifact. Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
As noted above, there is no widely accepted definition of mass shootings. People use either broad or restrictive definitions of mass shootings to reinforce their stance on gun control. After the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting, Congress defined "mass killings" as three or more homicides in a single incident. The definition was intended to clarify when the U.S. Attorney General could assist state and local authorities in investigations of violent acts and shootings in places of public use.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c d e f Christensen, Jen (October 5, 2017). "Why the US has the most mass shootings". CNN. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
- ^ Lankford, Adam (2016). Public Mass Shooters and Firearms: A Cross-National Study of 171 Countries. Violence and Victims, Volume 31, Number 2. Retrieved: May 3, 2018.
- ^ Berkowitz, Bonnie; Gamio, Lazaro; Lu, Denise; Uhrmacher, Kevin; Lindeman, Todd (October 5, 2017). "50 years of U.S. mass shootings: The victims, sites, killers and weapons". Washington Post. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
- ^ U.S. Leads World in Mass Shootings. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved: October 2, 2017.
- ^ Why the U.S. is No. 1 – in mass shootings. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved: October 2, 2017.
- ^ a b The United States Has Had More Mass Shootings Than Any Other Country. Mother Jones. Retrieved: October 2, 2017.
- ^ Victor, Daniel (February 17, 2018). Mass Shooters Are All Different. Except for One Thing: Most Are Men. The New York Times. Retrieved: April 10, 2018.
- ^ Blair, John Pete; Schweit, Katherine W. (2014), A Study of Active Shooter Incidents, 2000–2013 (PDF), Washington DC: Texas State University and Federal Bureau of Investigation
- ^ "H.R. 2076 (112th): Investigative Assistance for Violent Crimes Act of 2012". govtrack.us. United States Congress. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
(I)the term mass killings means 3 or more killings in a single incident;
- ^ Ingraham, Christopher (December 3, 2015). "What makes a 'mass shooting' in America". Washington Post. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
But starting in 2013, federal statutes defined "mass killing" as three or more people killed, regardless of weapons.
- ^ Follman, Mark. "What Exactly Is A Mass Shooting". Mother Jones. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
In January 2013, a mandate for federal investigation of mass shootings authorized by President Barack Obama lowered that baseline to three or more victims killed.
- ^ Krouse, William J.; Richardson, Daniel J. (July 30, 2015). "Mass Murder with Firearms: Incidents and Victims, 1999-2013" (pdf). FAS.org. Congressional Research Service. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
- ^ "General Methodology". Gun Violence Archive. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
- ^ Nichols, Chris (October 4, 2017). "How is a 'mass shooting' defined?". PolitiFact California. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
- ^ Christensen, Jen (August 28, 2015). "Why the U.S. has the most mass shootings". CNN.
- ^ a b "About the Mass Shooting Tracker". Mass Shooting Tracker. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
- ^ "Orlando club shootings: Full fury of gun battle emerges". - BBC News. June 13, 2016. Retrieved June 13, 2016. Cites Mass Shooting Tracker
- ^ Axelrod, Jim (November 6, 2017). "Are Americans becoming "numb" to mass shootings?". CBS Evening News. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
- ^ "Rate of mass shootings has tripled since 2011, new research from Harvard shows". Mother Jones. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
- ^ Ehrenfreund, Max (December 3, 2015). "We've had a massive decline in gun violence in the United States. Here's why". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
- ^ "Behind the Bloodshed". USA Today. Retrieved December 3, 2015.
- ^ Mark Follman; Gavin Aronsen; Deanna Pan (June 12, 2016). "A Guide to Mass Shootings in America". Motherjones.com. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
- ^ Mark Follman; Gavin Aronsen; Deanna Pan. "US Mass Shootings, 1982–2016: Data From Mother Jones' Investigation". Motherjones.com. Retrieved June 13, 2016. Original date December 28, 2012 ; list updated every 5 minutes. Figures for years 2011–2015: 3, 7, 5, 4, 7.
- ^ Melissa Jeltsen (July 18, 2014). "Mass Shooting Analysis Finds Strong Domestic Violence Connection". The Huffington Post. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
- ^ "Analysis of Mass Shootings". Everytownresearch.org. August 20, 2015. Retrieved June 13, 2016. This analysis has later figures than reported in the article
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...high-capacity magazines have been used in more than half of mass shootings over four decades, according to several studies.
- ^ Politifact staff (May 18, 2018). "The facts on mass shootings, guns in the United States". Politifact. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
Are AR-15s/semi-automatics involved in recent mass shootings? Yes. Semi-automatic rifles similar to the AR-15 have been used in high-profile and deadly mass shootings over the years in Aurora, Colo.; Roseburg, Ore.; San Bernadino, Calif.; Newtown, Conn.; Orlando; and in 2017, Las Vegas and Sutherland Springs, Texas.
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(help) - ^ Pearce, Matt (February 14, 2018). "Mass shootings are getting deadlier. And the latest ones all have something new in common: The AR-15". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
in all of the latest incidents...the attackers primarily used AR-15 semiautomatic rifles.
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The AR-15, the type of rifle used in the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, is the weapon of choice for mass killers.
Picchi, Aimee (June 15, 2016), "America's rifle: The marketing of assault-style weapons", CBS MoneyWatch, CBS News, retrieved February 23, 2018,America has grown accustomed to military-style semi-automatic weapons such as the AR-15. It's not hard to see why: These firearms have been heavily marketed to gun owners. But at the same time, they're often the weapons of choice for mass murderers.
Jansen, Bart; Cummings, William (November 6, 2017), "Why mass shooters are increasingly using AR-15s", USA Today, retrieved February 15, 2018,AR-15 style rifles have been the weapon of choice in many recent mass shootings, including the Texas church shooting Sunday, the Las Vegas concert last month, the Orlando nightclub last year and Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012.
Lloyd, Whitney (February 16, 2018), Why AR-15-style rifles are popular among mass shooters, retrieved March 2, 2018,AR-15-style rifles have become something of a weapon of choice for mass shooters.
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Beckett, Lois (February 16, 2018), "Most Americans can buy an AR-15 rifle before they can buy beer", The Guardian, retrieved March 2, 2018,While AR-15 style rifles have become the weapon of choice for some of America's most recent and deadly mass shootings, these military-style guns are still comparatively rarely used in everyday gun violence.
- ^ Samis, Max (April 22, 2018). "Brady Campaign Responds to Developments in Nashville Waffle House Shooting". Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
Kris Brown, co-president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, stated, 'It adds insult to the literal injuries and loss of life suffered by today's victims that even though the killer was known to be too dangerous to have guns, his father chose to rearm him including, reportedly, with the AR-15 used this morning, a weapon of war that now happens to be the weapon of choice in far too many mass killings in America.'
- ^ a b Cummings, William (February 15, 2018). "Why the AR-15 keeps appearing at America's deadliest mass shootings". USA TODAY. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
..."It's really just a perception thing," Hazen said."There are rifles that are more powerful and more dangerous than that, but they're not being used."For example, Hazen says the AK-47 and its semiautomatic variants is a "far more wicked gun than an AR-15."The AK-47 variants can hold just as many rounds as the AR-15, are more reliable and use larger 7.62 mm rounds as opposed to the standard AR-15's .223 rounds.
- ^ Jansen, Bart (November 8, 2017). "Why mass shooters are increasingly using AR-15s". USA TODAY. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
...Hazen said the AR-15 has "gotten a bad rap." He believes mass shooters generally don't know much about guns and choose the AR-15 because of the reputation it has gotten from being used in other mass shootings."Thank God they don't know any better because if they did they would use much more effective weapons," Hazen said
- ^ Lloyd, Whitney (February 16, 2018). "Why AR-15-style rifles are popular among mass shooters". ABC News. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
...the shooter had low knowledge of firearms. They just grabbed what they know, and that's the AR-15." The fact that so many mass shooters are using the same gun is what sociologists call "social proof," he added."You're in an ambiguous situation and you don't know what to do that. That can be looking at what silverware other people use at a fancy dinner party and copying them, or it can be using the same type of weapon other shooters have used if you're planning a mass shooting."
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