According to the Gun Violence Archive, a mass shooting is when “four or more people are shot or killed in a single incident, not involving the shooter”. Since January 2018, nearly 1,800 people have died due to gun-related violence and “over 3,100 others were injured.” (Robinson). There have been approximately 39 incidents of mass shootings this year. The 30th mass shooting in 2018 was on February 14th, at a high school in Parkland, Florida, where 17 people tragically lost their lives.
In a 2017 report by the National Safety Council, gun violence is a leading cause of death in America. A Buisness Insider article claims that these measures also suggest, “Americans are more likely to die from gun violence than the combined risks of drowning, fire and smoke, stabbing, choking on food, airplane crashes, animal attacks, and forces of nature.” It is evident that mass shootings and gun violence are a serious problem in the U.S. This profusion of violence makes one question what factors are at play in influencing such tragedies and what can possibly be done to put an end to this never-ending cycle of atrocities? Our Mass Shootings Wiki explores the possible causes of mass shootings by analyzing the profile of a mass shooter, accessibility to firearms, controversy and impact of mental health, and the role of the NRA. It also explores possible solutions for mass shootings by analyzing the effectiveness of proper gun control and its success in other countries.
List of all mass shootings in 2018:
Mass shootings database (2018)