Corrections to the FBI’s Reports on Active Shooting Incidents

33 Pages Posted: 1 Jun 2021

See all articles by John R. Lott

John R. Lott

Crime Prevention Research Center

Date Written: May 31, 2021

Abstract

The claim in the original FBI report that active shooting cases have increased over time was a result of data errors, both in terms of how the cases were collected and the missing of many attacks. Some of the cases that the original reports missed involved as many as four to nine people being murdered.

For the period from 2014 to 2019, the FBI had missed additional cases. Once those cases are included there were 25 cases out of 162 (15.4%) where people with permitted concealed handguns stopped the attacks. The FBI reports keep excluding cases where shootings attacks have been stopped by concealed handgun permit holders. To put it differently, while 36% of active shooting attacks have occurred in places where guns are allowed, almost half (42.3%) of those were stopped by people legally carry concealed handguns.

In light of these errors, media, courts, law enforcement, and policymakers, are advised to rely on the updated, corrected data provided in this report.

Keywords: Active shootings, FBI, mass public shootings, defensive gun uses

JEL Classification: K14

Suggested Citation

Lott, John R., Corrections to the FBI’s Reports on Active Shooting Incidents (May 31, 2021). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3857331 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3857331

John R. Lott (Contact Author)

Crime Prevention Research Center ( email )

PO Box 2293
1100 W Kent Ave
Missoula, MT 59801
United States

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