What Do Shooters Have in Common?

The U.S. Secret Service Safe School Initiative found these common characteristics among the 41 school shooters involved in 37 school shootings between 1974 and 2000.

• In nearly every incident, the attacker developed the violent idea and planned the attack.

• More than half the attackers had revenge as a motive.

• The attackers had a range of friendship patterns from socially isolated to popular.

• Few of the attackers were diagnosed with a mental disorder prior to the incident.

• The attackers had a range of behavioral histories from no observable problems to multiple problems warranting reprimand and/or disciplinary actions.

• In nearly every incident, the attackers had difficulty coping with a major change in a significant relationship or a loss of social status prior to the school shooting.

• In most incidents, the attackers got the guns from home or that of a relative.

• An adult such as a school administrator or teacher was often concerned about the attacker’s behavior prior to the incident.

Source: “Interim Report on the Prevention of Targeted Violence in Schools,” October 2000, U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center.