New Comprehensive Study of Mass Shootings by Mayors Against Illegal Guns Shows New Striking Trends
Jan 29, 2013
A comprehensive study by Mayors Against Illegal Guns of mass shootings in the last four years has revealed new findings on trends in where mass shootings occur, what weapons are used, and what other factors are at play. The study identified 43 mass shootings where four or more people were murdered between January 2009 and January 2013. Findings include:
- Less than 1% of gun murder victims were killed as part of incidents with four or more victims.
- In at least 40% of the incidents, the shooter killed a current or former spouse or intimate partner.
- Assault weapons or high capacity magazines were used in 28% of the incidents, and when they were used, more than twice the number of people were shot and 50% more were killed.
- No more than 33% of the shootings occurred in public spaces that were so-called ‘gun-free zones.’
These findings challenge some of the conventional wisdom about mass shootings, and the report highlights the areas in which further attention and research are needed. Click here to download the full report.
This study has been updated to reflect further updates to the original findings based on new FBI data. Please click here to learn more about these updates.
