If it becomes common enough occurrence that the majority of Americans are desensitized to it, then it just becomes part of everyday life. *Then* we can build a new industry around it (which has unsurprisingly already started growing) by selling school defense equipment like riot shields, panic doors, and backpacks that double as bulletproof vests.
Any time a headline starts talking about “mass shootings” the first thing to do is see which definition they’re using. Unfortunately in this case they fail to mention which database they’re using or link to it. The old FBI definition pre-2013 was, “a mass shooting was defined as any single attack in a public place with four or more fatalities.” After 2013 that number was dropped to three victims. Overall though there is no single defined metric, as this goes into in detail: https://www.rand.org/research/gun-policy/analysis/essays/mass-shootings.html
The result is that various private and public organizations have simply invented their own metrics in line with the image they want to portray. As you can see from that article, by subtly tweaking your requirements for “mass shooting” you can get a number per year between 6 and more than 400.
Then these stories hit a place like Reddit, and people argue back and forth over whether a gang drive-by is a mass shooting in the same way that Columbine was. I think when most of us hear “mass shooting” we think of indiscriminate violence targeting a public place like a school or office, not a shootout between rival gangs. I think the distinction matters when we’re talking about how to address these issues, especially when the average “mass shooter of the school/office shooter” type buys their gun legally (making it potentially sensitive to gun control measures) while the average criminal does not.
Unfortunately you all play this issue like a game to be won, not a problem to be discussed and analyzed.
stifledmind says
The Olympics aren’t even until next year. Slow down, America.
Supertho says
Chicago has 3 mass shootings every weekend.
Minqua says
The overwhelming majority is gang violence but why keep separate categories when this pushes a certain agenda
PracticalDepth2955 says
Isn’t it just magnificent how much positive news comes out of the US so frequently?
ListenToMyFartz says
We’re #1!!!!! Woooo murica! Bang! Bang!
wtfburritoo says
If it becomes common enough occurrence that the majority of Americans are desensitized to it, then it just becomes part of everyday life. *Then* we can build a new industry around it (which has unsurprisingly already started growing) by selling school defense equipment like riot shields, panic doors, and backpacks that double as bulletproof vests.
Win/win for conservatives and the NRA.
agonypants says
God, I feel so safe with all these guns around. Oh wait…
Brewing_Tea says
At least we’re #1 in something 🥺
marvelmon says
Not surprised. We never recovered from the 2020 riots and the whole defund the police nonsense.
LittleRickyPemba says
Any time a headline starts talking about “mass shootings” the first thing to do is see which definition they’re using. Unfortunately in this case they fail to mention which database they’re using or link to it. The old FBI definition pre-2013 was, “a mass shooting was defined as any single attack in a public place with four or more fatalities.” After 2013 that number was dropped to three victims. Overall though there is no single defined metric, as this goes into in detail: https://www.rand.org/research/gun-policy/analysis/essays/mass-shootings.html
The result is that various private and public organizations have simply invented their own metrics in line with the image they want to portray. As you can see from that article, by subtly tweaking your requirements for “mass shooting” you can get a number per year between 6 and more than 400.
Using the FBI definition we get this:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/811487/number-of-mass-shootings-in-the-us/
Then these stories hit a place like Reddit, and people argue back and forth over whether a gang drive-by is a mass shooting in the same way that Columbine was. I think when most of us hear “mass shooting” we think of indiscriminate violence targeting a public place like a school or office, not a shootout between rival gangs. I think the distinction matters when we’re talking about how to address these issues, especially when the average “mass shooter of the school/office shooter” type buys their gun legally (making it potentially sensitive to gun control measures) while the average criminal does not.
Unfortunately you all play this issue like a game to be won, not a problem to be discussed and analyzed.
mikess484 says
A bit of a lost redditor…but great stat nonetheless.
Keep up the good work ‘merica.
VerimTamunSalsus says
Congratulations, America is number 1.
kinshion says
Yay