Mass Shootings By State

Mass shootings, characterized as incidents involving multiple victims of firearm-related violence, are an all too common occurrence in contemporary United States. Although definitions can vary slightly based on the reporting source, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a mass shooting involves at least four individuals being shot in the same location within approximately the same time period. The Congressional Research Service similarly defines mass shootings, adding an emphasis on resulting fatalities. For the analysis presented in this article, we lean on the Gun Violence Archive's criteria, thus focusing our examination on incidences where four or more people were shot at roughly the same time and place.

• Illinois, Texas, and California top the list with the highest number of mass shootings. With 57, 50, and 49 occurrences respectively, these states represent the most significant concentrations of such tragic incidences.
• Among states with comparatively smaller populations, such as Louisiana and South Carolina, a relatively high number of mass shootings have taken place (28 and 20 respectively), implying that factors beyond just population size may influence the prevalence of gun violence.
• Prominent differences can be discerned when looking at individual states. For instance, despite their similar populations, Pennsylvania has reported 34 mass shootings while Georgia documented 29, indicating potential impacts from distinct state policies, social norms, and economic conditions.