A new report analyzing 173 mass attacks that took place in the country from 2016 to 2020 has been released from the US Secret Service. The report is being dubbed the first of its kind as authorities look to analyze trends in mass attacks to better understand and potentially prevent them in the future.
The report was completed by the agency’s National Threat Assessment Center. The report analyzed every attack in which at least three individuals, not including the attacker, were harmed. Beyond that, the report examined what behavioral changes the attackers showed, their upbringings, and several other factors.
The mass attacks the report examined included stabbings and other forms of violence. However, in 126 of the attacks, the suspect used one or more firearms to carry out the attack.
Additionally, in nearly a quarter of all the attacks where a firearm was used, at least one of the weapons was obtained illegally by the attacker, the report found.
The agency discovered in its report that a mass attack is seldom an off-the-cuff event, with attackers almost always showing warning signs prior to carrying out their plan.
When it comes to who was carrying out the attacks, 96% of the attackers were male, 57% were white, and 34% were Black. Additionally, the report found that 64% had a prior criminal history, and 41% had a history of domestic violence.
The upbringing of the attackers was also examined in the report, and only 20% had experienced trauma growing up. Trauma included physical or sexual abuse, having a parent die, entering foster care, or living in a refugee camp.
The chief of the National Threat Assessment Center, Lina Alathari, shared with NPR that she hopes the report will be a tool to help prevent mass attacks from happening in the future.
“We must do everything we can to prevent these, which is why we’re putting out this research for you. There is no community that is immune from this,” Alathari said.
The report comes on the heels of two mass shootings in California. Last Saturday night, while residents of Monterey Park were celebrating the Lunar New Year, a gunman opened fire at a local dance studio claiming the lives of at least 11 and injuring nine.
Just two days later, on Monday, a gunman shot and killed seven people at two mushroom farms in Half Moon Bay in what authorities have called an act of “workplace violence” after it was discovered the gunman had worked with some of the victims.
The Gun Violence Archive, which tracks mass shootings and acts of gun violence in the US, has found that just 26 days into 2023, there have already been 40 mass shootings.
Key findings from the report also found that the most common locations for attacks were businesses, which included restaurants and retail stores. It also found that most attacks occurred in public or at least semi-public spaces.
Mental health was also prominent for over half of the attackers, with 58% experiencing mental health symptoms before or at the time of the attack. Symptoms included thoughts of suicide, paranoia, delusions, and depression.
However, researchers for the agency stressed that mental health factors should not be considered a “correlation” for mass attacks, noting that using such a narrative could have serious consequences.
“Mental illness is not a barometer for dangerousness, and it is not a correlation for mass attacks. The vast majority of individuals with mental illnesses in this country will never be violent. In fact, often, they are the victims of violence,” Alathari said.
A virtual event is being held by the USSS to go over the report and speak about ways to prevent mass attacks before they happen. Alathari shared that 21,000 people from 50 states and 80 countries have already signed up to attend.
“Everyone has a role to play in prevention, it’s just one person’s responsibility or one organization’s responsibility. It is a community-wide, multi-disciplinary effort,” Alathari said.
While the report appeared to show similarities in attacks and attackers, the agency stressed that there is no road map to prevent future mass attacks. Instead, the agency says “community systems” could help identify and intervene when someone has concerns.
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