U.S. Active Shooter Incidents Decreased in 2024
In a recent report, the FBI found that there were 24 active shooter incidents in 2024, a 50 percent decrease from 2023 (48 incidents), demonstrating a downward trend in this type of violent attacks.
Published by the FBI on 3 June, with contributions from the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Center at Texas State University, the 2024 Active Shooter Incidents in the United States looked at overall trends from incidents involving active shooters during the previous year. The report provides an overview of active shooter incidents from last year, relying on participation and data from other law enforcement agencies.
The report also noted that between 2020 and 2024, there were a total of 223 active shooter incidents, representing a 70 percent increase compared to the previous five-year period (2015-2019). However, starting in 2022, the Bureau found that there seems to be an overall decrease in active shootings: 61 in 2021, 50 in 2022, 48 in 2023, and 24 in 2024.
The FBI defined an active shooter as an individual or multiple people (if they are working together) “actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area,” according to the report.
Out of the 24 incidents, the Bureau determined that three of them were also a mass killing, representing an 80 percent decrease from 2023, during which there were 15 active shooter events resulting in a mass killing. The FBI defines a mass killing as an incident where three or more deaths occur during a single attack.
Key Findings from 2024
Where. The reported active shooter incidents occurred in five different types of locations.
- 50 percent in open spaces (12 incidents)
- 17 percent in commercial settings (4)
- 17 percent in educational environments, including pre-K, K-12, colleges, and universities (4)
- 13 percent on government grounds, military sites, or other government property (3)
- 4 percent in a house of worship (1)
Half of the open space incidents were part of an active shooting that involved multiple locations.
The shootings occurred across 19 different U.S. states. Four happened in Texas (4), two in California (2), and two in North Carolina (2). Sixteen states recorded one active shooter incident last year, including Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. The single shooting in Arkansas resulted in the state ranking highest in the casualty count; the attack at a Fordyce, Arkansas, grocery store left four people dead and 10 injured.
Who. In the 24 incidents, the shooters represented a range of ages, with the youngest being 14 years old while the oldest was 73 years old. Altogether, there were 25 shooters—22 of them male and three female.
“Of the 25 shooters, five shooters (20 percent) had a known connection to the location and/or at least one victim,” the report said. These individuals were identified as either a current employee in two incidents or current student of an organization in three incidents.
Among the entire spectrum of the events, 14 shootings (58 percent) involved a shooter that exhibited predatory behaviors. According to the FBI, an attacker displays predatory behavior when he or she considers, plans, and prepares for a violent attack.
“Acts of targeted violence that are intentional in nature—in which the perpetrator considers, plans, and prepares for the act of violence—are preceded by observable warning sign behaviors that, if recognized and reported, can provide opportunities for disruption,” the report said.
While no single behavior or action is a guarantee that someone will or try to carry out a violent attack, there are certain behaviors that research indicates a person is on a pathway to violence. Along with the following behavioral indicators, a new or inappropriate interest in firearms or other weapons could be a sign of concern. Some of the behavioral red flags highlighted by the Bureau include detailed or repeated violent fantasies, comments about hurting him/herself or others, viewing violence as a solution to a problem, decreased interest in hobbies or other activities, worsening professional or educational performance, angry outbursts, asking questions about or testing security of a possible target, isolation from friends or loved ones, and more.
“Research has found that mass shooters just don’t snap. They spend their time thinking about violence and they plan, prepare, and often share indicators before their attacks. This means there are opportunities to identify someone who is on a pathway to violence—and prevent their attack,” the report noted.
Preventing an attack is of significant interest to security professionals, and current trends “indicate a shift towards proactive prevention through situational awareness training,” according to a Security Management article, “Empowering Employees to Report Concerns for Proactive Active Assailant Intervention.”
The article noted that organizations aiming to develop and maintain a proactive security approach should encourage employees, students, or other stakeholders to feel empowered and responsible for reporting any behavioral red flags. Steps to create such an environment include empowering observers, ensuring reporting safety and accessibility, transparent follow-up procedures, and promoting a positive environment.
For more about ASIS International’s recent research report, Active Assailant Preparedness: Risks and Recommendations, and articles about the report, check out our series exploring the report, its findings, and implications here.