Their research offers insights into the ripple effects of mass shootings on young people, including psychological impacts. In adulthood, 41.3% of males and 10.5% of females engaged in firearm violence (i.e., threatening with or using a firearm). University of Washington researchers also studied the impact of a violence prevention system known as Communities That Care. Among these youth, 84% reported attacking someone with the idea of hurting them, compared to 51% of youth who carried a gun but not to school, and 23% of those who never carried a gun. When they looked closer at patterns of handgun carrying over time in seven states, they found that the earliest average age when youth in rural areas started carrying guns was 12 years old.
Physical security measures
Data at the national level for demographics of the student population at preschools is not available. These data suggest that fostering a trusting and emotionally safe climate where students are willing to ask adults for help and report any statements and behaviors of concern, such as gun threats on social media or weapons carrying can be effective tools for prevention. In the higher education context, about 44 percent of people who perpetrated mass shootings had communicated their intent in advance (Peterson & et al., 2021). Legislative and policy solutions for preventing gun violence. Looking at trauma-informed crisis intervention programs, community violence intervention programs, and active engagement strategies with students and parents.
Advocate for Measures That Limit Access to Guns
Mass shootings are rare in Canada, a country with much stricter gun laws than the US, and school shootings of this scale are almost unheard of. The leadership and guidance from subject matter experts on gun violence prevention at Everytown were pivotal in the content creation and development of this guide. This section includes approaches to supporting recovery efforts, providing care and support to those impacted by gun violence incidents, and evaluating the planning and incident response to identify areas that need improvement or adjustment. It also includes recommendations on how to speak with students about gun violence. The response phase includes action steps to minimize the harm of gun violence to students, educators of all types, and their families.
Gun deaths among children and teens by intent
Children and teens who live in cities are at a significantly higher risk of gun homicides and assaults compared to their peers in rural areas. The combination of suicidal ideation and easy firearm access can be lethal. Homicide includes shootings by police. Firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens.3Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics.
Prevention aims to reduce the risk and prevent the occurrence of gun violence incidents on school grounds, on campuses, and in communities. By comparing state https://everytownresearch.org/report/school-gun-violence-prevention-response-guide-part-one-gun-violence-prevention/ gun laws with gun violence outcomes, we see how critical it is to enact strong policy. In 2024, it passed a dangerous law allowing teachers to carry guns into K–12 schools, and it lowered the minimum purchase age in 2025. Both states enacted Extreme Risk, background check, secure storage, and domestic violence laws, with New Mexico also limiting qualified immunity, addressing the Charleston Loophole, and adding a waiting period, and Nevada tackling ghost guns and prohibiting bump stocks. On the other hand, states like Nevada and New Mexico have higher rates of gun violence than their laws might suggest—perhaps in part as a result of above-average gun ownership.
- On January 5, 2016, President Barack Obama announced new executive actions on gun control.
- A 1743 law inSouth Carolina required guns to safeguard against “insurrections and other wicked attempts of Negroes and other Slaves.” Other laws required immigrants to own guns in order to immigrate or own land.
- In March 1996, a gunman entered Dunblane Primary School, killing 16 students, a teacher, and injuring 15 others.
- The number of gun murders fell from a record 20,958 in 2021 to 17,927 in 2023, a 14% decrease.
- The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic caused gun sales to rise and resulted in a conflict between the NRA and several states when gun and ammo shops were not included as essential businesses during stay-at-home orders.
- Regardless how a school shooting is defined, all of these events can have detrimental effects on a child’s well-being, development, and critical learning outcomes.