School shooting is an attack that involves the use of firearms and takes place at an educational institution, such as a primary school, secondary school, or university.
Many school shootings are categorized as mass shootings because of the number of people injured or killed by the attack. The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines a mass murder (a classification sometimes applied to mass shootings) as “four or more murdered during an event with no ‘cooling-off period’ between murders.”
Individuals who commit school shootings are often influenced by debilitating factors that may include various forms of abuse, family dysfunction, mental illness, or other psychological problems. Common sources of motivation for shooters can include depression, suicidal thoughts, a feeling of persecution, retaliation against bullying, or a desire for attention or recognition. While sources of entertainment such as films, videogames, and comic books are occasionally accused of being influencers as well, these accusations are rarely, if ever, backed by credible science.
The Columbine shooting and its aftermath
One of the most widely publicized school shootings in history took place at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, United States. On April 20, 1999, two students opened fire at the school, killing 13 people (12 students and one teacher) and wounding more than 20 others before committing suicide themselves. At the time, the Columbine shooting was the deadliest in U.S. history. It has since been eclipsed.
School shootings in the United States
In the two decades following the Columbine shooting, the U.S. has experienced 11 mass school shootings and hundreds of smaller-scale attacks that have touched every state in the union, with more than 278,000 students experiencing some form of gun violence.
Source: worldpopulationreview.com
