Since the late 1990s, school shootings have become a troubling reality in the United States.
Each time one of these tragedies occurs, it seems like the nation is shocked all over again.
In this blog post, we will take a look at a list of notable school shootings in America and discuss some of the key facts about each incident.
Keep in mind that this is not an exhaustive list – there have been many more shootings than what is mentioned here.
What is the main cause of school shootings?
Before we get into the list, let’s take a look at some of the possible causes of school shootings.
There is no one answer to this question, as each case is unique, but there are some common themes that seem to emerge.
For example, many school shooters have been found to have a history of mental illness or bullying.
In some cases, the shooters have been targeting specific people or groups of people.
And in other instances, the motives behind the shooting remain a mystery.
It’s important to remember that there is no one profile of a school shooter – they can come from any background and any walk of life.
With that said, let’s take a look at some of the most notable school shootings in recent history.
Also Read: Texas School Shooting: What Happened & What Can We Learn
Robb Elementary School Shooting in Uvalde, Texas
On May 24, 2022, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos fatally shot nineteen students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas United States.
Earlier in the day, he shot his grandmother in the forehead at home, severely wounding her.
Outside the school, he fired shots for approximately five minutes before entering unobstructed with an AR-15 style rifle through an unlocked side entrance door.
He then locked himself inside two adjoining classrooms, killed nineteen students and two teachers, and remained there for more than an hour before law enforcement fatally shot him.
Columbine High School Shooting – 1999
The Columbine High School shooting is perhaps one of the most well-known school shootings in America.
On April 20th, 1999, two students – Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris – went on a shooting rampage at their high school in Colorado, killing 12 students and one teacher before taking their own lives.
It was later revealed that the two shooters had planned the attack for months in advance, and that they had intended to kill even more people.
In the aftermath of the Columbine shooting, many schools across the country beefed up security and implemented new safety measures.
The shooting also sparked a national conversation about gun control and school safety.
Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting
The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting occurred on December 14th, 2012 in Newtown, Connecticut.
20-year-old Adam Lanza shot and killed 20 children between the ages of six and seven, as well as six adult staff members before turning the gun on himself.
Prior to the shooting, Lanza had fatally shot his mother at their home.
This shooting – which was the deadliest mass shooting at the time in America – sparked nationwide mourning and outrage.
It also reignited the debate around gun control and led to some new legislation being passed, such as the Sandy Hook Promise Act.
Stoneman Douglas High School shooting
On February 14, 2018, a mass shooting occurred at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
The shooter, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz, opened fire on students and staff with an AR-15 rifle, killing 17 people and injuring 17 others.
This tragic event shook the nation and sparked a national conversation about gun violence and school safety.
In the aftermath of the shooting, many survivors spoke out about their experiences and called for stricter gun control laws.
In response to the overwhelming public outcry, several state and federal legislators introduced new bills aimed at curbing gun violence.
Though these efforts have been met with some success, the issue of gun violence remains a complex and highly divisive issue in the United States.
Santa Fe High School shooting
On May 18, 2018, a mass shooting occurred at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas, United States.
The perpetrator, 17-year-old student Dimitrios Pagourtzis, opened fire in an art class with the intention of killing everyone inside.
He killed 10 people and injured 13 others before being apprehended by police.
This incident was the deadliest mass shooting at a high school in the United States since the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
It also marked the 22nd mass shooting in 2018. The majority of the victims were students of Santa Fe High School.
The student body consists of 1,460 students in grades 9-12. Of the 10 people killed, eight were students and two were teachers.
One student was an exchange student from Pakistan and another was a substitute teacher.
The victim profiles have been released by the police department. Prior to the shooting, Pagourtzis posted a message on his Facebook profile reading “I’m going to kill you all.”
Stem School Highlands Ranch shooting
On May 7, 2019, two shooters opened fire at the STEM School Highlands Ranch in Douglas County, Colorado.
One student was killed, and eight others were injured in the attack.
The suspects, both of whom were students at the school, were apprehended by police and charged with numerous counts of murder and attempted murder.
The shooting sparked a national debate on gun violence and school safety.
In the wake of the attack, many schools across the country implemented new security measures, such as installing metal detectors and increasing police presence on campus.
The shooting also led to a surge in support for gun control measures, such as universal background checks and banning assault weapons.
The Stem School Highlands Ranch shooting was one of the deadliest school shootings in American history and reignited the debate on gun violence in the United States.
Great Mills High School shooting
On March 20, 2018, a school shooting occurred at Great Mills High School in Great Mills, Maryland.
The shooter, 17-year-old Austin Rollins, fatally shot one student and injured another before being killed by a school resource officer.
The shooting took place in a hallway just before classes began for the day.
Eyewitnesses reported that the shooter fired at least three shots from a semi-automatic handgun.
The victim, 16-year-old Jaelynn Willey, was airlifted to a nearby hospital where she later died.
The other student, 14-year-old Desmond Barnes, was treated and released from the hospital.
Marshall County High School shooting
At 7:57 a.m. on January 23, 2018, a student entered Marshall County High School in Benton, Kentucky, and opened fire with a handgun.
Two students were killed and 18 others were wounded. The shooting suspect, a 15-year-old male student, was apprehended by police and charged with two counts of murder and multiple counts of attempted murder.
The incident reportedly began in the school’s commons area, where the shooter opened fire on students who were gathered for breakfast.
The two students who were killed were 15-year-old Bailey Holt and 16-year-old Preston Cope.
The 18 injured students ranged in age from 14 to 18. Some of the injured students were treated at the scene while others were transported to nearby hospitals.
The shooting caused widespread panic as students fled the school or took shelter in classrooms.
Authorities later determined that there was no additional threat to the school or community.
Marysville Pilchuck High School shooting
On October 24, 2014, a shooting occurred at Marysville Pilchuck High School in Marysville, Washington.
The shooter, Jaylen Fryberg, was a student at the school who opened fire in the cafeteria, killing five students and injuring one other.
Fryberg then turned the gun on himself and died from his injuries.
The victims of the shooting were all students at the school, and three of them were related to Fryberg.
The fourth victim was a friend of Fryberg’s who was shot when she tried to stop him.
The shooting caused widespread panic and confusion, as students and staff were not sure what was happening.
However, quick thinking by some of the adults in the school helped to prevent further tragedy.
The Marysville Pilchuck High School shooting was a tragic event that shook the community and left many people searching for answers.
Umpqua Community College shooting
On October 1, 2015, a mass shooting occurred at Umpqua Community College in Oregon.
The gunman, 26-year-old Chris Harper-Mercer, killed nine people and injured nine others before being fatally shot by police.
The incident marked the deadliest mass shooting in Oregon history.
Harper-Mercer was armed with three handguns and a rifle, all of which were purchased legally.
He had also brought multiple rounds of ammunition with him to the college.
Harper-Mercer reportedly targeted Christians during the shooting, and several of the victims were students who had recently attended a Bible study group.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, President Barack Obama delivered a speech calling for stricter gun control laws.
Aztec High School Shooting
On December 7th, 2017, a shooting occurred at Aztec High School in New Mexico.
The shooter, William Atchison, was a former student of the school. He entered the school armed with a pistol and a shotgun.
Atchison shot and killed three students, Casey Jordan-Marquez and Francisco Fernandez before being confronted by a police officer.
The officer shot and killed Atchison. In the aftermath of the shooting, it was revealed that Atchison had made threats online in the past.
He had also been investigated by the FBI for making threats online but no charges were ever filed.
The shooting at Aztec High School was a tragedy that could have been prevented if authorities had taken Atchison’s threats more seriously.
Northern Arizona University Shooting
On October 9, 2015, a shooting occurred at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona.
One student was killed, and three others were wounded. The gunman, who was also a student at the university, was later apprehended by police.
The motive for the shooting remains unknown.
This tragedy sent shockwaves throughout the university community and the country.
In the days and weeks that followed, students and faculty members came together to grieve and support one another.
candlelight vigils were held, and counseling services were made available to those who needed them.
The university also took steps to enhance safety on campus, including increasing security patrols and installing more emergency call boxes.
Virginia Tech Shooting
On April 16, 2007, Seung-Hui Cho, a senior at Virginia Tech, shot and killed 33 people on the university’s Blacksburg campus before taking his own life. It was the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.
Cho had been diagnosed with a severe anxiety disorder and had been receiving treatment for it.
He had also been prescribed antidepressants and antipsychotic medications.
In the months leading up to the shootings, Cho’s behavior became increasingly erratic, and he began to withdraw from social interactions.
On the morning of the shootings, Cho first chained the doors to two dormitories shut, trapping students inside.
He then went to a classroom building and opened fire, killing 33 people. He then returned to one of the dormitories and killed himself.
The Virginia Tech shootings spurred a national discussion about gun control and mental health.
It also led to changes in how universities handle reports of students exhibiting troubling behaviors.
Saugus High School shooting
On November 14, 2019, a shooting occurred at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, California.
The shooter, 16-year-old student Nathan Berhow, opened fire in the school’s quad area at around 7:30 a.m., fatally shooting three students and wounding three others.
Berhow then shot himself in the head and died the following day. The motive for the shooting is unknown.
This shooting caused widespread panic and led to a lockdown of all schools in the area.
Students were evacuated to nearby Central Park, where they were reunited with their parents.
Granite Hills High School shooting
On March 22, 2001, a student opened fire at Granite Hills High School in El Cajon, California, injuring 6 people.
The shooter, eighteen-year-old Jason Huffman, was arrested at the scene and later pleaded guilty to the murders.
The Granite Hills shooting was one of several school shootings that occurred in the early 2000s, prompting a national conversation about gun violence and school safety.
In the wake of the shooting, Granite Hills High School implemented a number of safety measures, including metal detectors and surveillance cameras.
Westside Elementary School shooting
On Monday, a 5-year-old kindergarten student fired a handgun in his elementary school cafeteria.
The Westside Elementary School student brought the gun to school in his backpack.
While waiting for the opening bell in the cafeteria, the gun accidentally discharged one time inside the boy’s backpack.
There was no evidence of harmful intent and nobody was injured. To date, the boy is the youngest documented school shooter.
While this incident luckily resulted in no injuries, it highlights the need for increased gun safety measures in schools.
This is especially true for elementary schools, where many students are still learning how to safely handle firearms.
UCLA School shooting
On June 1, 2016, a shooting occurred at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
The perpetrator, Mainak Sarkar, shot and killed two people before taking his own life.
Sarkar had previously been a doctoral student at UCLA, but he had not been enrolled at the time of the shooting.
The victims were identified as William S. (Bill) Klug and his ex-wife, Ashley Hasti.
Klug was a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at UCLA.
Both victims were shot in an office inside of Boelter Hall, which is located on UCLA’s campus in Westwood, Los Angeles.
The shooting prompted a campus-wide lockdown as police searched for Sarkar.
The lockdown was lifted after police determined that Sarkar had killed himself.
The motive for the shooting remains unclear, but investigators believe that Sarkar may have been upset with Klug over a grade he received.
Oikos University Shooting
On April 2, 2012, a shooting occurred at Oikos University in Oakland, California.
Seven people were killed, and three others were wounded in the attack.
The shooter, One Goh, was a former student of the university who had been expelled several months prior to the incident.
Goh entered the school armed with a handgun and took a nursing class hostage. He then opened fire, killing six students and one staff member.
FAQ About School Shootings
Below are some frequently asked questions about school shootings in the United States.
What is the deadliest school shooting in US history?
The deadliest school shooting in US history occurred on April 16, 2007, at Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, Virginia.
In that incident, 32 people were killed, and 17 others were wounded. The shooter, Seung-Hui Cho, was a student at Virginia Tech.
How many school shootings have there been in the US?
There is no definitive answer to this question as there is no agreed-upon definition of “school shooting.”
However, according to one count, there have been over 400 school shootings in the United States since 1970.
What are some of the other notable school shootings in US history?
Other notable school shootings include the Columbine High School shooting in 1999, which left 13 people dead;
The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012, which killed 26 people; and the Parkland, Florida, high school shooting in 2018, which killed 17 people.
What can be done to prevent school shootings?
There is no easy answer to this question. Some experts suggest that a combination of better mental health care, stricter gun control laws, and improved school security could help reduce the number of school shootings.
Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed way to prevent these tragedies from happening.
Can school shootings be prevented?
There is no easy answer to this question. Some experts suggest that a combination of better mental health care, stricter gun control laws, and improved school security could help reduce the number of school shootings.
Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed way to prevent these tragedies from happening.
We can only hope that by increasing awareness and understanding of the issue, we can eventually find a way to prevent these senseless acts of violence.
What role does mental health play in school shootings?
Mental health is often a factor in school shootings. In many cases, the shooters have been found to have mental illness or to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
It is important to note that most people with mental illness are not violent.
However, mental health can be a factor in these cases, and it is important to ensure that people with mental illness receive the treatment they need.
What can be done to help people with mental illness?
There are many things that can be done to help people with mental illness. First and foremost, it is important to ensure that they receive the treatment they need.
In addition, it is important to raise awareness about mental illness and to reduce the stigma surrounding it.
It is also important to provide support for people with mental illness and their families.
What role do guns play in school shootings?
Guns are often a factor in school shootings. In many cases, the shooters have used legally obtained firearms.
However, it is important to note that most people who own guns are not violent and that the vast majority of gun owners do not commit crimes.
Nevertheless, guns can be a factor in these cases, and it is important to ensure that they are properly stored and secured.
What can be done to prevent people from obtaining guns?
There is no easy answer to this question. Some experts suggest that stricter gun control laws could help reduce the number of school shootings.
However, it is important to note that most people who own guns are not violent and that the vast majority of gun owners do not commit crimes.
What role does society play in school shootings?
Society plays a role in school shootings in several ways. First, society often stigmatizes mental illness, which can lead to people with mental illness not receiving the treatment they need.
Second, society often glorifies violence, which can desensitize people to the consequences of violence.
Third, society often fails to provide adequate support for people with mental illness and their families.
