A comparative analysis of active and mass shooters and events

As fear of mass and rampage shootings spread with each new incident, the American public continues to debate many of the key issues surrounding such events. In both research and popular media, shooters are often classified and examined separately based on the location of the attack with more attention paid to those with the highest victim count. Using the New York Police Department’s Active Shooter Database and the Stanford Geospatial Center’s Mass Shooter Database, this research examines active and mass shooters from 1966 to 2012 and seeks to outline differences in the descriptive statistics about the shooters and the events using multiple thresholds. The data indicate that regardless of thresholds, incidents of mass and active shooting events have been increasing steadily. This exploratory study then identifies strains and other information about the shooters and their backgrounds, relationships, and development using data gathered from public media sources, books, and academic journal articles. Of the various themes and multilevel factors that emerged among the data, mental illness and failure affected more than half of the shooters, thus justifying their use in the Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). Using a QCA framework, the dissertation then uses these two factors—failure and mental illness—with radicalization to compare event characteristics and outcomes. This method evaluates the presence or absence of these factors for each shooter and uses the combinatorial conjunctions to highlight emergent patterns of outcomes. It also examines these patterns and combinations in a temporal context. Such a method highlights the rates of increase in incidents, deaths, and injuries over time, with greater rates of increase post-Columbine, suggesting a shift in cultural scripts for those who experience failure and mental illness. Additionally, these two motivations—both independently and in combination—produce the greatest means per year and rates of increase of incidents, deaths, and injuries warranting further concern and research about their interaction and outcomes. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by offering methodological insight about the use of thresholds in active shooter research; examining multi-level biographical factors that may have influenced decisions and behavior; relating motivational factors and event characteristics and outcomes; and identifying driving factors behind means and rates of increase of incidents, deaths, and injuries over time. Continued research in this area can inform public policy, correct misconceptions and conflict about rates of increase of active and mass shootings, and identify prevention and intervention methods to increase public safety.Ph.D.Includes bibliographical referencesby Sarah E. Dal