K-12 School Shooting Database

Methodology

Learn more about how we complied this data through extensive research following this three step process:

STEP 1: DATABASE COMPILATION AND PRELIMINARY RESEARCH
STEP 2: DETAILED RESEARCH
STEP 3: RELIABILITY SCORING

About the Database and CHDS

The School Shooting Database Project is conducted as part of the Advanced Thinking in Homeland Security (HSx) program at the Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS).

The Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) is located at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. Since 2003, CHDS has conducted a wide range of programs focused on assisting current and emerging leaders in Homeland Defense and Security to develop the policies, strategies, programs and organizational elements needed to defeat terrorism and prepare for and respond to natural disasters and public safety threats across the United States.

Visit CHDS Learn about the team

K-12 SSDB News See All News

"Responding to Shooting Threats: Strategies for Schools" (webinar)

Free webinar held on 12/17/2021 to address viral threats of “National School Shooting Day” on TikTok and other social media platforms. Panel (David Riedman, Jillian Peterson, and James Densley) discuss best practices for school-based threat assessment programs and recent trends in rapidly growing number of threats made against schools across the country.

Assessing Shooting Threats Is a Matter of Life or Death. Why Aren’t Experts Better at It?

Assessing Shooting Threats Is a Matter of Life or Death. Why Aren’t Experts Better at It? There is no playbook for schools, and they need all the help they can get By David Riedman, Jillian Peterson & James Densley — December 16, 2021 (Published by Education Week) David Riedman is the co-creator of the K-12 School Shooting Database at the Naval Postgraduate...

The rise in school shooting threats is alarming — and a cry for help

BY JAMES DENSLEY, DAVID RIEDMAN AND JILLIAN PETERSON (Published by Los Angeles Times) NOV. 5, 2021 “I hate Ms. [school principal]. … On Friday, October 29, I am going to take my dad’s shotgun and shoot her … after that I will go into my first period class and shoot it up. … I know the...

School shootings are increasing — and changing. Easily accessible guns are to blame.

Opinion: School shootings are increasing — and changing. Easily accessible guns are to blame. By Jillian Peterson, James Densley and David Riedman (Published by The Washington Post October 8, 2021 at 8:00 a.m. EDT Jillian Peterson is a professor of criminology and criminal justice at Hamline University. James Densley is a professor of criminal justice at...

Tweets by @K12ssdb

K-12 School Shooting Database

@K12ssdb

130 shootings so far this year at K-12 schools. On pace to exceed last year, which doubled 2018, 2019, and 2020. This is not a good trend! #gunviolence #schools #data

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Max Schachter

@maxschachter

This is the Buffalo killer's YouTube playlist. It shows his obsession with mass killers & guns (Parkland interrogation, AME Church plea hearing). RED FLAGS! Please make sure your agency is doing digital threat assessments. if your not call @Safer_Schools saferschoolstogether.com

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K-12 School Shooting Database

@K12ssdb

A 20-year-old has been arrested for firing at least 10 shots outside the Hammond High (LA) graduation last night. 3 people shot were all bystanders. Shooting was an argument that escalated. Trent Thomas is charged with 3 counts of attempted murder.

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K-12 School Shooting Database

@K12ssdb

The Riverdale community is in shock after one person died and another was critically hurt in a shooting following high school graduation on the campus of Middle Tennessee State University. 17-year-old former student is charged with first-degree murder. newschannel5.com/news/hes-dead-…

Riverdale High community in shock following shooting after graduation

The Riverdale community is in shock after one person died and another was critically hurt in a shooting following high school graduation on the campus of Middle Tennessee State University.

WTVF

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K-12 School Shooting Database

@K12ssdb

An act of #terrorism needs a political motive. In 22-page journal released in court yesterday, [Oxford High] shooter hoped attack would "cause Biden to get impeached". He wrote "Sleepy f*** Joe Biden will have to make an apolg(y) to people" after worst shooting in state history.

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K-12 School Shooting Database

@K12ssdb

46-year-old Utah man walked into Timpanogos Elementary and left a note threating a school shooting and bombing. He was identified by CCTV footage. When approached by police, he threatened bombing at his apartment leading to 90 minute standoff before surrendering.

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K-12 School Shooting Database

@K12ssdb

"We had a normal graduation for Hammond High School within the building. When our graduates were ready to dismiss and the families were outside to greet them, outside the University Center (LA), that's when the shots began to fire."

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K-12 School Shooting Database

@K12ssdb

On May 20, 1988, after setting fire at a house and another school, Laurie Dann walked into a 2nd grade classroom at Hubbard Woods Elementary (IL), told the students she was there to teach them about guns, and then shot 6 students.

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The Rebels Project

@rebelsproject

We honor the memory of those taken too soon and send love to all who were impacted by the shooting at Hubbard Woods Elementary School 34 years ago today. #neverforget #therebelsproject #survivorsupport #massshootings

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K-12 School Shooting Database

@K12ssdb

At least one person was killed and seven others injured in three separate shootings after high school graduation ceremonies in Louisiana, Michigan, and Tennessee.

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K-12 School Shooting Database

@K12ssdb

A 17-year-old has been arrested in a deadly shooting at a Tennessee university that occurred after a high school graduation ceremony on campus per Murfreesboro, TN police. nbcnews.com/news/us-news/1…

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K-12 School Shooting Database

@K12ssdb

Four people were shot outside the Hammond High School graduation on Southeastern Louisiana University's campus on Thursday night. Authorities say one person is in custody.

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K-12 School Shooting Database

@K12ssdb

After high school graduates walked across the stage at Kentwood High (MI) Thursday evening, two people were shot in the school parking lot. Shooter fled.

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K-12 School Shooting Database

@K12ssdb

Discord users who clicked through to the room also could view an online video stream, where footage of the Buffalo attack on Saturday was broadcast, raising the possibility more people saw the shootings as it happened. twitter.com/jonswaine/stat…

Jon Swaine on Twitter

“New: Shortly before the Buffalo shooting, 15 Discord users accepted alleged gunman Payton Gendron's invite to his private chatroom full of attack plans and racist screeds https://t.co/YuszJG4MuS”

Twitter

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K-12 School Shooting Database

@K12ssdb

@markfollman Determine the key phrases, criteria, thresholds for escalation, and analyzing effectiveness would require a sustained partnership between tech companies and experts in behavioral threat assessment.

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K-12 School Shooting Database

@K12ssdb

@markfollman Just like google alerts is the primary tool for filtering thousands of news stories based on key words for "school shooting", seems like Discord could have a key word process that would flag his posts for internal analysis without compromising the privacy of most users.

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K-12 School Shooting Database

@K12ssdb

@markfollman If Discord had an automated system that flagged text for human review, his private content could have been referred to law enforcement for action. Also remains unclear how many other users (who could have said something) were seeing his content.

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K-12 School Shooting Database

@K12ssdb

A man is dead after shooting at deputies during a standoff at a Guadalupe, AZ home on Wednesday afternoon. Man was acting erratically and shooting a gun around 1:30 p.m. He was going toward a school before he stopped.

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K-12 School Shooting Database

@K12ssdb

Twice this year graduations in central Arkansas have ended with parents and high schoolers hearing gunshots. kark.com/crime/can-scho…

Can schools do anything to prevent graduation shootings?

Twice this year graduations in central Arkansas have ended with parents and high schoolers hearing gunshots.

KARK

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K-12 School Shooting Database

@K12ssdb

A manhunt is under way after shots were fired at a secondary school in northern Germany, on Thursday morning. One suspect was arrested but another armed with a crossbow fled the scene.

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