A Criminological Analysis of Active Shooters in the United States

• In Event: Roundtable: Violence in Differing Contexts

Abstract

The United States has witnessed a disturbing upward trend of active shooter incidents in various settings over the past 20 years, which poses a significant threat to public safety and raises questions about the risk factors that may cause or contribute to these acts of violence. The purpose of this research is to utilize secondary data that examines the risk factors associated with an active shooter in the United States and attempts to predict or mitigate future active shooter incidents by establishing a pattern of behaviors of concern and offering strategies to control such attacks. Future research will call for recommendations informing public policy initiatives by illuminating and explaining the salient issues of concern related to the behaviors of active shooters in the United States.

Authors

• Gloria Okere, Texas Southern University

• LaSheria Nance-Bush, Texas Southern University