Mass shootings in the United States - wikipedia Mass shootings in the United States Total U.S. deaths by year in mass shootings : 1982 to 2016. Map of mass shootings in 2015. The United States has had more mass shootings than any other country. Between 1966 and 2012, 292 public mass shootings ( defined as four or more victims and excluding gang killings or domestic violence ) occurred across the world : 90 of these, or 31 % of the total, took place in the United States. There is no fixed definition of a mass shooting in the United States. When the definition is restricted to four or more people killed, data shows 146 mass shootings between 1967 and 2017, with an average of eight people dead including the perpetrator. The perpetrator generally either commits suicide, is killed, or is restrained by law enforcement officers or civilians. Contents 1 Definition 2 Frequency 2.1 Differing sources 3 Contributing factors 4 Weapons used 5 Deadliest mass shootings 6 See also 7 Notes 8 References Definition There is no fixed definition of a mass shooting in the United States. 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. 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 ''. A broader definition, as used by the Gun Violence Archive, is that of `` 4 or more shot or killed, not including the shooter ''. 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. Frequency Memorial at the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign following the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, which resulted in 59 deaths and 851 non-fatal injuries. 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. 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. 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. Mother Jones listed seven mass shootings, defined as indiscriminate rampages in public places resulting in four or more victims killed, in the U.S. for 2015. 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. 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. In December 2015, The Washington Post reported that there had been 355 mass shootings in the United States so far that year. In August 2015, The Washington Post reported that the United States was averaging one mass shooting per day. An earlier report had indicated that in 2015 alone, there had been 294 mass shootings that killed or injured 1,464 people. 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. Contributing factors There could be several possible factors that work together to create a fertile environment for mass murder in the United States. Most commonly suggested include : Failure of government background checks due to incomplete databases and / or staff shortages. Higher accessibility and ownership of guns. 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. Desire for fame and notoriety. The copycat phenomenon. The widespread chronic gap between people 's expectations for themselves and their actual achievement, and individualistic culture. It is debatable whether mental illness is also a factor. 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. A long history of being severely bullied. Weapons used Several types of weapons have been used in mass shootings in the United States including rifles, handguns, and shotguns. In contrast to the rest of the world, where the perpetrator typically has only one gun, more than half of US mass shootings are committed with multiple weapons. While pistols are by far the most prevalent weapons in US mass shootings, AR - 15 style rifles have been used in a number of the deadliest incidents, and have come to be widely characterized in the mainstream media as the weapon of choice for perpetrators of these crimes. Deadliest mass shootings The following mass shootings are the deadliest to have occurred in modern U.S. history ( 1949 to present ). Those included bellow, each had ten or more fatalities. Was previously the deadliest mass shooting Incident Year Deaths Injuries Type of firearm ( s ) used Ref ( s ) Las Vegas shooting 2017 59 ! 59 ( inc. the perp. ) 851 Semi-automatic rifles Orlando nightclub shooting 2016 50 ! 50 ( inc. the perp. ) 58 Semi-automatic rifle and pistol Virginia Tech shooting 2007 33 ! 33 ( inc. the perp. ) 23 Semi-automatic pistols Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting 2012 28 ! 28 ( inc. the perp. ) Semi-automatic rifle and pistol 5 Sutherland Springs church shooting 2017 27 ! 27 ( inc. the perp. ) 20 Semi-automatic rifle 6 Luby 's shooting 1991 24 ! 24 ( inc. the perp. ) 27 Semi-automatic pistols 7 San Ysidro McDonald 's massacre 1984 22 ! 22 ( inc. the perp. ) 19 Multiple types of firearms 8 University of Texas tower shooting 1966 18 ! 18 ( inc. the perp. ) 31 Multiple types of firearms 9 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting 2018 17 ! 17 17 Semi-automatic rifle 10 San Bernardino attack 2015 16 ! 16 ( inc. both perps. ) 24 Semi-automatic rifles 11 Edmond post office shooting 1986 15 ! 15 ( inc. the perp. ) 6 Semi-automatic pistols Columbine High School massacre 1999 15 ! 15 ( inc. both perps. ) 24 Multiple types of firearms 13 Binghamton shootings 2009 14 ! 14 ( inc. the perp. ) Semi-automatic pistols Fort Hood shooting 2009 14 ! 14 33 ! 33 ( inc. the perp. ) Semi-automatic pistols 15 Camden shootings 1949 13 Semi-automatic pistol Wilkes - Barre shootings 1982 13 Semi-automatic rifle Wah Mee massacre 13 Multiple types of firearms Washington Navy Yard shooting 2013 13 ! 13 ( inc. the perp. ) 8 Semi-automatic pistol and shotgun 19 Aurora shooting 2012 12 70 Multiple types of firearms 20 Easter Sunday massacre 11 ! 11 0 Semi-automatic pistols and revolver Geneva County massacre 2009 11 ! 11 ( inc. the perp. ) 6 Multiple types of firearms 22 Palm Sunday massacre 1984 10 0 Handguns GMAC shootings 10 ! 10 ( inc. the perp. ) 6 Semi-automatic rifle Atlanta shootings 1999 10 ! 10 ( inc. the perp. ) 13 Semi-automatic pistols and revolver Red Lake shootings 2005 10 ! 10 ( inc. the perp. ) 5 Semi-automatic pistols and shotgun Umpqua Community College shooting 2015 10 ! 10 ( inc. the perp. ) 8 Semi-automatic pistols and revolver See also Gun violence in the United States List of rampage killers ( Americas ) School shootings in the United States Spree killer Notes Jump up ^ The fatality total includes an unborn child. Jump up ^ The fatality total includes an unborn child. References Jump up ^ `` US Mass Shootings, 1982 -- 2017 : Data From Mother Jones ' Investigation ''. Jump up ^ U.S. Leads World in Mass Shootings. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved : October 2, 2017. Jump up ^ Why the US has the most mass shootings. CNN. Retrieved : October 2, 2017. Jump up ^ Why the U.S. is No. 1 -- in mass shootings. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved : October 2, 2017. Jump up ^ The United States Has Had More Mass Shootings Than Any Other Country. Mother Jones. Retrieved : October 2, 2017. ^ Jump up to : Christensen, Jen ( 5 October 2017 ). `` Why the US has the most mass shootings ''. CNN. Retrieved 6 November 2017. ^ Jump up to : Greenberg, Jacobson & Valverde, Jon, Louis & Miriam ( February 14, 2018 ). `` What we know about mass shootings ''. Politifact. Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 20 February 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. Jump up ^ Berkowitz, Bonnie ; Gamio, Lazaro ; Lu, Denise ; Uhrmacher, Kevin ; Lindeman, Todd ( 5 October 2017 ). `` 50 years of U.S. mass shootings : The victims, sites, killers and weapons ''. Washington Post. Retrieved 5 November 2017. Jump up ^ 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 Jump up ^ `` H.R. 2076 ( 112th ) : Investigative Assistance for Violent Crimes Act of 2012 ''. govtrack.us. United States Congress. Retrieved 20 February 2018. ( I ) the term mass killings means 3 or more killings in a single incident ; Jump up ^ Ingraham, Christopher ( 3 December 2015 ). `` What makes a ' mass shooting ' in America ''. Washington Post. Retrieved 5 November 2017. But starting in 2013, federal statutes defined `` mass killing '' as three or more people killed, regardless of weapons. Jump up ^ 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. Jump up ^ 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 21 February 2018. Jump up ^ `` General Methodology ''. Gun Violence Archive. Retrieved 21 February 2018. Jump up ^ Nichols, Chris ( 4 October 2017 ). `` How is a ' mass shooting ' defined ? ''. PolitiFact California. Retrieved 21 February 2018. Jump up ^ Christensen, Jen ( August 28, 2015 ). `` Why the U.S. has the most mass shootings ''. CNN. ^ Jump up to : `` About the Mass Shooting Tracker ''. Mass Shooting Tracker. Retrieved 13 June 2016. Jump up ^ `` Orlando club shootings : Full fury of gun battle emerges ''. - BBC News. 13 June 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2016. Cites Mass Shooting Tracker Jump up ^ Axelrod, Jim ( 6 November 2017 ). `` Are Americans becoming `` numb '' to mass shootings ? ``. CBS Evening News. Retrieved 21 February 2018. Jump up ^ `` Rate of mass shootings has tripled since 2011, new research from Harvard shows ''. Mother Jones. Retrieved 2017 - 12 - 13. Jump up ^ Ehrenfreund, Max ( 2015 - 12 - 03 ). `` We 've had a massive decline in gun violence in the United States. Here 's why ''. Washington Post. ISSN 0190 - 8286. Retrieved 2017 - 12 - 13. Jump up ^ `` Behind the Bloodshed ''. USA Today. Retrieved December 3, 2015. Jump up ^ Mark Follman ; Gavin Aronsen ; Deanna Pan ( 12 June 2016 ). `` A Guide to Mass Shootings in America ''. Motherjones.com. Retrieved 13 June 2016. Jump up ^ Mark Follman ; Gavin Aronsen ; Deanna Pan. `` US Mass Shootings, 1982 -- 2016 : Data From Mother Jones ' Investigation ''. Motherjones.com. Retrieved 13 June 2016. Original date 28 December 2012 ; list updated every 5 minutes. Figures for years 2011 -- 2015 : 3, 7, 5, 4, 7. Jump up ^ Melissa Jeltsen ( 18 July 2014 ). `` Mass Shooting Analysis Finds Strong Domestic Violence Connection ''. The Huffington Post. Retrieved 13 June 2016. Jump up ^ `` Analysis of Mass Shootings ''. Everytownresearch.org. 20 August 2015. Retrieved 13 June 2016. This analysis has later figures than reported in the article Jump up ^ `` The San Bernardino shooting is the second mass shooting today and the 355th this year ''. Washington Post. December 2, 2015. Retrieved December 16, 2015. Jump up ^ Ingraham, Christopher ( August 26, 2015 ). `` We 're now averaging more than one mass shooting per day in 2015 ''. Washington Post. Retrieved September 6, 2015. Jump up ^ `` More than one mass shooting happens per day in the U.S., data shows ''. PBS NewsHour. Retrieved 2015 - 10 - 08. Jump up ^ Follman, Mark ( December 3, 2015 ). `` How Many Mass Shootings Are There, Really ? ''. New York Times. Retrieved December 6, 2015. Jump up ^ Stuart, Elizabeth ( December 7, 2015 ). `` Number of U.S. Mass Shootings Greatly Exaggerated in Media, Acclaimed Researcher States ''. Phoenix New Times. Retrieved December 10, 2015. ^ Jump up to : Healy, Melissa ( 24 August 2015 ). `` Why the U.S. is No. 1 -- in mass shootings ''. LA Times. Retrieved 6 November 2017. Jump up ^ Johnson, Kevin. `` Texas Church Shooting Background Check Failure. '' USA Today. November 9, 2017. Accessed November 17, 2017. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/11/09/texas-church-shooting-background-check-breakdown-highlights-federal-gun-record-problems/847947001/. Jump up ^ Barrett, Devlin. `` FBI 's Gun Background Check Database Missing Records. '' Chicago Tribune. November 10, 2017. Accessed November 17, 2017. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-fbi-gun-background-check-system-missing-records-20171110-story.html. Jump up ^ The United States Has Had More Mass Shootings Than Any Other Country. Mother Jones. Retrieved : October 2, 2017. Jump up ^ Dorell, Oren ( December 18, 2012 ). `` In Europe, fewer mass killings due to culture not guns ''. USA Today. Retrieved August 11, 2015. Jump up ^ `` The real mental health issue behind gun violence ''. CNN. January 25, 2016. Retrieved November 7, 2017. Jump up ^ Campbell, Holly ( December 2, 2015 ). `` Inside the mind of a mass murderer ''. WANE.com. Retrieved November 9, 2017. Jump up ^ Fox, James Alan ( January 16, 2011 ). `` The real causes of mass murder ''. Boston.com. Retrieved November 9, 2017. Jump up ^ Burgess, Ann Wolbert, Christina Garbarino, and Mary I. Carlson. `` Pathological teasing and bullying turned deadly : Shooters and suicide. '' Victims and Offenders 1.1 ( 2006 ) : 1 - 14. Jump up ^ `` Weapon types used in mass shootings in the United States between 1982 and 2017 ''. statista.com. Retrieved March 15, 2018. Jump up ^ Smith, Aaron ( June 21, 2016 ). `` Why the AR - 15 is the mass shooter 's go - to weapon ''. CNN. Retrieved February 15, 2018. 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. Jump up ^ 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. Jump up ^ 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. Jump up ^ Lloyd, Whitney ( February 16, 2018 ). `` Why AR - 15 - style rifles are popular among mass shooters ''. ABC News. Retrieved March 2, 2018. AR - 15 - style rifles have become something of a weapon of choice for mass shooters. Jump up ^ 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. Jump up ^ `` Deadliest Mass Shootings in Modern US History Fast Facts ''. CNN. April 1, 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018. ^ Jump up to : `` Deadliest Mass Shootings in Modern US History Fast Facts ''. CNN. Retrieved 5 November 2017. ^ Jump up to : `` Texas gunman used same rifle as Las Vegas, Newtown mass shooters ''. NY Daily News. Retrieved 2017 - 11 - 07. Jump up ^ Carissimo, Justin ( 6 November 2017 ). `` 26 dead in shooting at church in Sutherland Springs, Texas ''. CBS News. Retrieved 6 November 2017. Jump up ^ Emanuella Grinberg ; Eric Levensen ( February 14, 2018 ). `` At least 17 dead in Florida school shooting, law enforcement says ''. CNN. Retrieved February 14, 2018. ^ Jump up to : `` Terrorist attacks and related incidents in the United States ''. johnstonarchive.net. Retrieved 6 November 2017. Jump up ^ Kang, Martha. `` Wah Mee Massacre prisoner closer to release ''. Komo News.com. Retrieved 27 March 2018. Jump up ^ Machi, Vivienne ( 24 September 2016 ). `` 40 years later, Ruppert family murders still traumatic ''. Dayton Daily News. Retrieved 27 March 2018. Jump up ^ `` 10 In Brooklyn Are Found Slain Inside A House ''. The New York Times. 16 April 1984. Retrieved 27 March 2018. Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mass_shootings_in_the_United_States&oldid=835709717 '' Categories : Mass shootings Mass shootings in the United States Gun violence in the United States Talk Contents About Wikipedia Cymraeg Français Polski 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 10 April 2018, at 09 : 21. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. 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Question: what was the deadliest mass shooting in the united states
Answer: Las Vegas shooting