In order to understand what causes mass shootings, it is crucial to analyze who is committing these violent acts. We have explored the profile of a mass shooter by researching the role of race, gender, and mental illness on who becomes a mass shooter. By analyzing data, like the Mother Jones Mass Shooters Database, and research from renown criminologists and psychologists we have been able to explore who becomes a mass shooter. Since 1982, most mass shootings have been committed by white men with acute mental health issues. However, such broad traits are unhelpful when it comes to assessing who will actually commit a mass shooting. Research on the link between mental illness and violent behavior is not useful and insignificant for predicting violent acts. Nonetheless, there has been controversy in the last couple of years in the media, as mental illness is often blamed after an incident of mass violence. We’ve explored the range to which these components affect a mass shooter and how they play a role in who becomes a mass shooter.
Mass Shootings 