School shootings: At least 377 have occurred since Columbine - Well over a quarter of a million children have been exposed to this violence since 1999

By: Tom Cloyd - 1 min. read (Published: 2023-04-19; reviewed: 2023-04-19:1515 Pacific Time (USA))

“There were more school shootings in 2022 — 46 — than in any year since at least 1999. Beyond the dead and wounded, children who witness the violence or cower behind locked doors to hide from it can be profoundly traumatized.”

Since there is no tracking of school schootings by the US federal government, the Washington Post newspaper has spent years tracking these horrific incicents. The most recent one was a little over 3 weeks ago, as of April 11.¹

The Washington Post published on April 11 a list of all the shootings, with summary information. It runs 76 pages.

“Across all such incidents, The Post has found that at least 199 children, educators and other people have been killed, and another 425 have been injured.”¹

Overwhelmingly, the shootings are perpetrated by white gunmen, but such shootings children of color are far more likely to experience this violence. The median age (half are younger, half older) of all such child victims was 16.¹

Where did the guns come from? In the instances where it was known, 86% were from “friends, relatives or parents”.¹

Until 2018, there were an average of 11 school shootings a year, but after that the rate began rising sharply. In 2021, there were 42 school shootings, and in 2022 there were 46.

Note ^{^}

 

☀   ☀   ☀