According to a report released by the FBI on Monday, active shooter incidents increased by nearly 90 percent from 2019 to 2023 compared to the previous five years. The agency identified 229 active shooter incidents in the past five years, which is a significant increase from the 121 incidents reported in the 2014–2018 period. The data provided by the FBI do not include all gun-related incidents in the country, and the definition of an active shooter excludes incidents of self-defense, drug or gang-related violence, or other criminal activities.
The report aims to help law enforcement, first responders, and the public better understand the threats associated with active shooter incidents. While there has been a notable increase in active shootings over the past five years, the FBI noted slight improvements year over year, with a decrease in incidents in 2023 compared to 2022. The agency also reported a decrease in “mass casualty” events in the same period.
Retired SWAT commander Gene Petrino believes that the decrease in active shooter incidents is a result of focusing more on preventative measures. Law enforcement has been successful in apprehending individuals who have made credible threats before any attacks occur, which Petrino believes will become the norm in the future.
President Barack Obama signed the Investigative Assistance for Violent Crimes Act of 2012 into law in 2013, prompting the FBI to investigate active shooter incidents since 2000. The agency worked with the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center at Texas State University to collect the data.
The report emphasizes shifting the focus from perpetrators to victims, survivors, and heroes who stop active shooters, as well as the communities that come together in the healing process. In 2023, there were 48 active shooter incidents across 26 states, with California, Texas, and Washington reporting the highest number of incidents.
Last year, there were 244 known victims of active shooters, including 105 fatalities and 139 injuries. Among the victims were 12 injured law enforcement officers and two who lost their lives. The report also highlights that open spaces like outdoor venues and neighborhoods were common locations for active shooter incidents, with schools being targeted in three incidents in 2023 resulting in 12 deaths and seven injuries.
The deadliest active shooting incident of 2023, according to FBI data, occurred in Lewiston, Maine, where the shooter killed 18 people and injured 13 others.
