Mass Shooting incidents have nearly tripled in number from 2007-2013. Why?

[diddle]

The FBI has released a study showing the mass shootings have become more frequent in the past seven years. From 2000 through 2006, there were an average of 6.4 mass shooting incidences a year. From 2007 to 2013, that increased to an average of 16.4 annual mass shooting incidences. The largest portion of the mass shootings, 45.6 percent, occurred in commercial settings, followed by 24.3 percent that took place in educational environments. In total, the mass shootings killed 486 and wounded 557 from 2000 to 2013. - DB summary.

http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2014...oter-incidents

Anyone here have an opinion on what is causing this trend? Personally I'm a bit lost on thinking of a reason - given this is the FBI's own statistics within a fairly recent time-span it can't be dismissed with the go-to "This has always been happening, we are just more aware of it now."

Perhaps an exponential Herostratus effect? Unstable people feel neglected/ignored by society, and as these shootings continue other latent unstable people see that as much as we condemn the shooters we forever remember them. Even if this is the case, it still begs the question how this trend began in the first place a few decades ago.

What are your thoughts on it?

[Shemsu Hov]

It's odd to see such a significant trend for such a violent act. Was there some cultural shift in America that we aren't noticing? You can't really question the shooter's motives since by the end, they usually end up dead. Perhaps it's an act of desperation of some sort? They see no alternative to their situation so they decide to do one last noticeable act, or they just see their actions as revenge on society. Another reason could be a increase of violence in our culture, some being more accustomed to it. Or it could be like the people that go and do Grand Theft Auto type of stuff because they wanted to see what it was like. They just simply wanted to see what it was like to kill. Obviously a lot of these individuals have something not right in their head though. And with proper psychological evaluations a lot of these could have been prevented most likely but that would be a very difficult feat.


But, I VERY highly doubt it's a single reason that contributed to the rise.

[Independent voter]

I was talking to some historian types and they said mass shootings aren't new, there was a big one after WWII for example. The thing is it's happening more and more often.

Lot's of copycat people I think. You're an angry, maladjusted type. You see in the news where another angry maladjusted type kills 15 people at the office. You think, 'that's it', I'm going to do the same!

Maybe there's more violence in the society in general? 500 gang bangers died in Chicago last year and that's only one city. Maybe that violence is spilling over into society at large?

[Uvwaex]

Mimicry.

Part herostatus effect, part more and more coverage by our media and culture over the issue.

There are studies which look at suicidal clusters among teenagers, how individuals see a suicidal act and end up "mimicking" it. I think the same idea and mechanism can be applied to the "rise" in shootings. I guess we'd need to see though, how much news coverage/exposure to shootings has increased over 2007-13 though as well, to provide any correlation.

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Teen+s...cry.-a08170351

"The study of two Texas clusters occurring in 1983 and 1984 reveals that the teenage victims had no more exposure to other suicides -- either among friends or through news reports -- than did matched controls who did not commit suicide. But exposure to suicides may profoundly affect individuals already at risk of killing themselves, the researchers say."

"Nonetheless, the researchers write in the Nov. 17 JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, "romanticized or sensational media coverage may foster an affinity with those who commit suicide and confer an aura of celebrity on them." In suicide-susceptible individuals, this could evoke the impression that suicide is a "powerful act" that will claim special -- albeit posthumous -- attention from their family and peers. For these reasons, Davidson's group recommends against large memorial gathering at schools and repetitive media coverage that provides graphic details of suicides."
I could imagine that individuals more at risk to carry out homicidal actions would also be impacted by the same effect, if, well, it exists.

Thoughts can spread like a disease through a population. Its "fad" psychology, but it reaches into more areas of our lives than the clothes we wear and books we read.

[Giscoicus]

So how do we define "mass shootings"?

Also it might be a result of changes in our society where people's handling of emotions has worsened, or changes have upset more people

[TZK203]

Blame the media for making these mass-shooter people famous.

Mix in a little unstable mentality with some need to be recognized, and wallah: you just baked a mass shooting.

[Narwhalosh Whalescream]

Inb4 video games!

[Shemsu Hov]

I was talking to some historian types and they said mass shootings aren't new, there was a big one after WWII for example. The thing is it's happening more and more often.

Lot's of copycat people I think. You're an angry, maladjusted type. You see in the news where another angry maladjusted type kills 15 people at the office. You think, 'that's it', I'm going to do the same!

Maybe there's more violence in the society in general? 500 gang bangers died in Chicago last year and that's only one city. Maybe that violence is spilling over into society at large?

I'm sure there was even mass stabbing sprees in the past too lol. But 500 gangsters dead in a single city is horrible and shows the prevalence of violence in America. But what were the numbers before? Do they coincide with the increase in mass shootings in anyway? But the problem is, is that it's totally normal people that often go on these sprees. It's never just some black youths trying to get into a gang. It's everybody doing them. From some working class man to some young teenager.

[Giscoicus]

Blame the media for making these mass-shooter people famous.

Mix in a little unstable mentality with some need to be recognized, and wallah: you just baked a mass shooting.

I'm leaning towards this. Many of the shootings end in suicides, I think the shooters want to be recognized and just killing themselves won't get them the recognition they were or feel like they were deprived of.

[Xar226]

So how do we define "mass shootings"?

Good question, because the OP didn't quite get this right. The graphic is referring to active shooter incidents, which is basically a guy trying to kill people in a confined place. The study states later on that:

The FBI found that 64 incidents (40.0%) would have been categorized as falling within the new federal definition of “mass killing,” which is defined as “three or more killings in a single incident.”

As for the original question of what's causing the trend upward, I don't think it's coincidence that the numbers jumped when the recession started, especially when combined with 45% of shootings being at places of business. The average number of incidents from 2007 through 2013 is 16.4, while the average from 2000 through 2006 is 6.4. (Medians are 17 and 6, respectively, if you prefer that.) I'd call that a major factor. As far as the 2000-2006 increase, that's harder to say.

[Lenonis]

There have been several theories put on the table:

1) Increased radicalization of culture. Violent talk in political discourse. Increase in us vs them mentality -- fringe elements becoming more and more mainstream.

2) Increase in the "gun culture" in the US. Like it or not, guns are now a thing hotly debated, which causes people to stockpile them which in turn increases access to them.

3) Decrease in funding for mental health care. This has really been happening since the 70-80s but it would make sense that it would need some time to build up to this sort of trend.

4) Social media/sensationalism of media turning these guys into the focus of attention for a nation -- which encourages copycats.

Personally I think numbers 1 and 3 make a particularly deadly combo. "They are coming for your guns/freedoms/liberties" is just fodder for the paranoid types who should be in a mental institution but aren't.

[Tradewind]

wallah

*eye twitch*

[Viadd]

From 2007 to 2013, that increased to an average of 16.4 annual mass shooting incidences. The largest portion of the mass shootings, 45.6 percent, occurred in commercial settings, followed by 24.3 percent that took place in educational environments.

70% of these shootings took place in 'no-gun' zones. In other words - the attackers knew their victims would be unarmed. Those mentally-ill enough to try something like this went after soft targets. If we want to prevent such things in the future, offering a better defense to their offense might be a good idea.

As to the reasons why the number is up: we'd debate all day until we're blue in the face. Personally, it's a tragic mix of a soft society and the mentally ill having more freedom than times past. For some of these guys, popping pills isn't going to cut it. We need to find them and put them away - perhaps a nice place, but still away - so they don't start thinking the voices in their head are really Jonny and his friends from the local elementary school.

And no, less guns/more 'gun control' isn't the answer. Better defense in case of attack is one answer; better mental health treatment is another. The mentally ill amongst us will just go after people with other means if they can't get a gun. Or - most likely - they'll resort to the sort of truly sick and twisted personal killings that are famous amongst the horror genre of movies. So don't trot out that tired and overused 'better gun control' argument.

[Tradewind]

What do you mean exactly by "better defense to their offense?"

[Drsolders]

I have done some papers on it. One leading factor is the news coverage. After columbine, the way the media started covering it changed. The main fact is some of these people are so desperate for attention (as well as psychotic) they would be willing to get it in any form. It doesn't matter them if it's positive or negative. A month of live TV coverage is exactly what they want. Of course the media gives them that and feeds the cycle.

tl:dr News needs to change otherwise it will keep feeding this sick cycle, but hey ratings are worth more than lives right?

[Viadd]

What do you mean exactly by "better defense to their offense?"

Arm those who would be victims, or provide them with armed security in case they are too young (schools) to bear arms themselves.

[Tradewind]

Arm those who would be victims, or provide them with armed security in case they are too young (schools) to bear arms themselves.

So the solution to gun violence is more guns? Or turning schools into garrisons?

[Viadd]

So the solution to gun violence is more guns? Or turning schools into garrisons?

The solution is to be prepared for a worst case scenario. I think 'schools into garrisons' is a bit of hyperbole. Most schools already have at least one police officer on campus as is. A few school teachers with concealed carry rights, and licensed by the district, and properly trained, would be a good thing.

And the solution to any kind of violence is more power, as a deterrent.

[Giscoicus]

So the solution to gun violence is more guns? Or turning schools into garrisons?

No guns doesn't seem to stop gun violence...

[Viadd]

No guns doesn't seem to stop gun violence...

Precisely. Because some nutjob always manages to procure one - illegally - and uses it against those who follow the rules, and leave their guns elsewhere.