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Commonalities in Mass Shooters

Trauma

Mass shooters have experienced childhood
trauma and exposure to violence at a young age.

Crisis

Mass shooters reach an identifiable crisis point
becoming angry, despondent, and suicidal.

Script

Mass shooters study other mass shooters to find
validation for their method and motive to kill.

Access

Once mass shooters commit to their plan,
they need access people, places, and firearms.

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About The Violence Project

The Violence Project is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research center dedicated to reducing violence in society and using data and analysis to improve policy and practice.

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As Seen On

Jillian Peterson, PhD and James Densley, PhD are sought-after national trainers and speakers on issues related to mental illness, trauma, and mass violence. Their expertise and insight is highly-regarded and featured regularly in numerous publications.

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The Mass Shooter Database

169 mass shootings
172 mass shooters
Over 50 years of data
Nearly 200 variables

The largest, most comprehensive database on the life histories of mass shooters.

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The first data-driven, mass shooting prevention national certification program. For schools, colleges, businesses, churches, and public spaces.

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Testimonials

With Dr. Peterson and Dr. Densley’s innovative crisis response training program, we experienced a 23% decrease in crisis related service calls in our first year. Officers reported that the training was one of the best they have had, providing realistic tools they can use when helping those in crisis.

Scott Boerboom
Scott Boerboom
Chief of Police, City of Minnetonka

The nightmare scenario for a principal related to safety is a school shooter. Dr. Peterson and Dr. Densely’s research on mass shootings, and most importantly their framework for how we can think about prevention, provides school and system leaders with research that can be trusted and used in practical ways.

Katie Pekel
Katie Pekel
Ed.D, University of Minnesota

Teachers are on the "front lines" when it comes to recognizing students who are facing crisis. Teachers deserve a "real world tool box" to support a student who reaches out to them for help. Mass Shooting Prevention Training provides this "tool box." As a former educator and now, a survivor of a school shooting, I know how important it is for teachers to be able to "do something" when a student asks for help. Mass Shooting Prevention Training provides this help.

Missy Dodds
Missy Dodds
School safety advocate and Red Lake School Shooting survivor

Our Blog

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The Violence Project’s Jillian Peterson spoke with Mara Gottfried about risk factors for violence. “Research shows that poverty, stress and mental health concerns — all amplified during the… Read More »

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In a year of pain, one silver lining: fewer mass shootings

As 2020 comes to a close, The Violence Project’s co-founders once again spoke with Associated Press reporter Lisa Marie Pane for a recap of this year’s lack of… Read More »

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US gun violence: too many people have died in 2020 – and COVID played a larger part than you think

“Recent reports here and elsewhere in the media have focused on gun violence in the US, reporting a dramatic rise in mass shootings in 2020 – despite the… Read More »

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Disclaimer: This project was supported by Award No. 2018-75-CX-0023, awarded by the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Justice.

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