Reference: Girgis, Ragy & Rogers, R. & Hesson, Hannah & Lieberman, Jeffrey & Appelbaum, Paul & Brucato, Gary. (2022). Mass murders involving firearms and other methods in school, college, and university settings: Findings from the Columbia Mass Murder Database. Journal of Forensic Sciences. 68. 10.1111/1556-4029.15161. Why do mass murderers (killing three or more persons) often target school settings? Psychology researchers analyzed Columbia University’s World Mass Murder Database of 82 incidents in academic (school, college, and university) settings out of 1700 global cases from 1900 to 2019. Researchers excluded those associated with war, terrorism, gangs, or organized crime. Of all mass murders within academic settings worldwide, 48% involved firearms, 63% of these cases involving firearms took place in the United States, often killing higher numbers than in other countries. For those not involving firearms, only 12% occurred in the U.S. Globally, 100% of all mass murders using firearms were male, 68% white, 46% ended in suicide, average age was 28 years. Of all mass murderers using firearms, 47% had a prior psychiatric diagnosis, 17% of these had a psychotic diagnosis, much higher than in the general population. Vossekuil et al. (2002)1 found 78% of these US attackers reported suicidal thoughts, 71% were bullied, but only 10% had therapy for mental illness. School and college shootings are often a result of prior school experiences. Coaches and teachers! Teach youth to be fair and kind. Get psychological help for those bullied.

Written by Jarret Bain B.S.