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Some Key Findings
Over 80% of mass shooters were in a noticable crisis prior to their shooting
The motivations of mass shooters have varied over time:
Want to learn more?
Visit our Key Findings page or explore 6 of the 175 variables in the Mass Shooter Database here.
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.
As Seen On
Our co-founders Jillian Peterson and James Densley are sought-after experts on the prevalence and prevention of gun violence, especially mass shootings. Their words and work have been cited in hundreds of media stories worldwide.
The Mass Shooter Database
176 mass shootings
180 mass shooters
Over 50 years of data
Over 150 variables
The largest, most comprehensive database on the life histories of mass shooters.
The Off-Ramp Project
The Off-Ramp Project is a hub of information, training, and resources for anyone who has been impacted by a mass shooting or is interested in preventing the next one.
Off-Ramp translates findings from the mass shooter database into tangible, evidence-based, strategies and skills to prevent future violence.
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.
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.
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.
Our Blog
Handling associations between violent crime and mental illness with responsibility
“In the wake of the shooting in Plymouth, that resulted in the deaths of five people and then later the shooter himself, as is frequently the case, the… Read More »
Read MorePreventing the Next Attack: Implications of Returning to In-Person Activity
Listen Here “As society cautiously re-opens and returns to in-person activity and work, violence and physical threats to businesses are occurring at an unsettling, record-high pace. This is… Read More »
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