SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
In the wake of the Parkland, Florida massacre, lawmakers and reform advocates are offering several proposed laws to regulate guns. (Photo: LorieShaull/Flickr/cc)
Ahead of Nationwide Walkout, Study Shows More Mass School Shooting Deaths So Far This Century Than Entirety of Last
Research bolsters the demands driving the student-led protests that have taken the nation by storm since mid-February
Apr 19, 2018
One day ahead of a national student-led walkout to demand action to end gun violence, new research shows that "in less than 18 years, we have already seen more deaths related to school shootings than in the whole 20th century.
"In less than 18 years, we have already seen more deaths related to school shootings than in the whole 20th century."
--Antonis Katsiyannis, Clemson University
The study, published by Springer's Journal of Child and Family Studies, found that mass school shootings--defined as incidents involving at least four victims, excluding the shooter--have culminated in a "deadly epidemic" in the United States.
Since the 21st century started, 13 lone shooters have killed at least 66 people and injured 81 more in mass school shootings. By contrast, 55 people were killed and 260 were injured during the previous century.
"One alarming trend is that the overwhelming majority of 21st-century shooters were adolescents, suggesting that it is now easier for them to access guns, and that they more frequently suffer from mental health issues or limited conflict resolution skills," noted lead author and Clemson University professor Antonis Katsiyannis.
The report details preventative measures that could be enacted and strengthened in an effort to curb this epidemic. Proposals include implementing school-based mental health services and expanding background checks for anyone who tries to buy a gun, as well as banning assault weapons.
Acknowledging that an issue of this scale requires action on various levels, Katsiyannis pointed out that "preventative efforts not only require policy and legislative action but increased and targeted funding across federal, state, local and private sectors."
The study's findings bolster the demands driving the student-led protests that have taken the nation by storm since mid-February, when a gunman killed 17 people at a high school in the Parkland, Florida.
The next action is scheduled for Friday, the 19th anniversary of the Columbine massacre. Students across the country plan to wear orange and walk out of their schools to demand stricter gun laws.
\u201cWe are powerful. We are here to stay. RSVP to join one of tomorrow\u2019s 2,500 #NationalSchoolWalkout events across the country: https://t.co/k6Xy6lk0EH https://t.co/cqsONXAILc\u201d— National School Walkout (@National School Walkout) 1524165107
As the ACLU has done for past demonstrations, the legal advocacy group is circulating resources for students ahead of Friday's walkout.
\u201cIf you're participating in a #NationalSchoolWalkout against gun violence this week, know your rights.\u201d— ACLU (@ACLU) 1523995800
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
One day ahead of a national student-led walkout to demand action to end gun violence, new research shows that "in less than 18 years, we have already seen more deaths related to school shootings than in the whole 20th century.
"In less than 18 years, we have already seen more deaths related to school shootings than in the whole 20th century."
--Antonis Katsiyannis, Clemson University
The study, published by Springer's Journal of Child and Family Studies, found that mass school shootings--defined as incidents involving at least four victims, excluding the shooter--have culminated in a "deadly epidemic" in the United States.
Since the 21st century started, 13 lone shooters have killed at least 66 people and injured 81 more in mass school shootings. By contrast, 55 people were killed and 260 were injured during the previous century.
"One alarming trend is that the overwhelming majority of 21st-century shooters were adolescents, suggesting that it is now easier for them to access guns, and that they more frequently suffer from mental health issues or limited conflict resolution skills," noted lead author and Clemson University professor Antonis Katsiyannis.
The report details preventative measures that could be enacted and strengthened in an effort to curb this epidemic. Proposals include implementing school-based mental health services and expanding background checks for anyone who tries to buy a gun, as well as banning assault weapons.
Acknowledging that an issue of this scale requires action on various levels, Katsiyannis pointed out that "preventative efforts not only require policy and legislative action but increased and targeted funding across federal, state, local and private sectors."
The study's findings bolster the demands driving the student-led protests that have taken the nation by storm since mid-February, when a gunman killed 17 people at a high school in the Parkland, Florida.
The next action is scheduled for Friday, the 19th anniversary of the Columbine massacre. Students across the country plan to wear orange and walk out of their schools to demand stricter gun laws.
\u201cWe are powerful. We are here to stay. RSVP to join one of tomorrow\u2019s 2,500 #NationalSchoolWalkout events across the country: https://t.co/k6Xy6lk0EH https://t.co/cqsONXAILc\u201d— National School Walkout (@National School Walkout) 1524165107
As the ACLU has done for past demonstrations, the legal advocacy group is circulating resources for students ahead of Friday's walkout.
\u201cIf you're participating in a #NationalSchoolWalkout against gun violence this week, know your rights.\u201d— ACLU (@ACLU) 1523995800
One day ahead of a national student-led walkout to demand action to end gun violence, new research shows that "in less than 18 years, we have already seen more deaths related to school shootings than in the whole 20th century.
"In less than 18 years, we have already seen more deaths related to school shootings than in the whole 20th century."
--Antonis Katsiyannis, Clemson University
The study, published by Springer's Journal of Child and Family Studies, found that mass school shootings--defined as incidents involving at least four victims, excluding the shooter--have culminated in a "deadly epidemic" in the United States.
Since the 21st century started, 13 lone shooters have killed at least 66 people and injured 81 more in mass school shootings. By contrast, 55 people were killed and 260 were injured during the previous century.
"One alarming trend is that the overwhelming majority of 21st-century shooters were adolescents, suggesting that it is now easier for them to access guns, and that they more frequently suffer from mental health issues or limited conflict resolution skills," noted lead author and Clemson University professor Antonis Katsiyannis.
The report details preventative measures that could be enacted and strengthened in an effort to curb this epidemic. Proposals include implementing school-based mental health services and expanding background checks for anyone who tries to buy a gun, as well as banning assault weapons.
Acknowledging that an issue of this scale requires action on various levels, Katsiyannis pointed out that "preventative efforts not only require policy and legislative action but increased and targeted funding across federal, state, local and private sectors."
The study's findings bolster the demands driving the student-led protests that have taken the nation by storm since mid-February, when a gunman killed 17 people at a high school in the Parkland, Florida.
The next action is scheduled for Friday, the 19th anniversary of the Columbine massacre. Students across the country plan to wear orange and walk out of their schools to demand stricter gun laws.
\u201cWe are powerful. We are here to stay. RSVP to join one of tomorrow\u2019s 2,500 #NationalSchoolWalkout events across the country: https://t.co/k6Xy6lk0EH https://t.co/cqsONXAILc\u201d— National School Walkout (@National School Walkout) 1524165107
As the ACLU has done for past demonstrations, the legal advocacy group is circulating resources for students ahead of Friday's walkout.
\u201cIf you're participating in a #NationalSchoolWalkout against gun violence this week, know your rights.\u201d— ACLU (@ACLU) 1523995800
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.