Introduction
While school shootings date back to at least the 1840s, their frequency has been rising in the United States. There have been 2,067 school shootings since 1970, with nearly 20% of them occurring between 2020 and 2022. Every state has had a school shooting, however their frequency correlates to the population size of the state.
The Center for Homeland Defense and Security (“CHDS”) has developed a School Shooting Safety Compendium and K-12 School Shooting Database, which documents every instance a firearm is brandished or fired, or a bullet hits school property, no matter the number of victims, time, or day of the week.
According to a Hamilton College national high school poll, over 90% of high school students feel relatively safe in their schools; still, almost 60% are somewhat concerned, fairly concerned, or very concerned about the possibility of a mass shooting in their school or community. It appears the presence of a good contingency plan can alleviate that fear, with almost 100% of students claiming to feel very safe or relatively safe in their schools when that plan is in place.
Learn for yourself how school shooting statistics compare by state by exploring the data in the charts.
| # | State | Number of School Shootings | School Shooting Victims | School Shooting Fatalities | Guns at School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 206 | 192 | 69 | 261 |
| 2 | Texas | 165 | 163 | 41 | 150 |
| 3 | Florida | 113 | 107 | 29 | 188 |
| 4 | Illinois | 104 | 93 | 29 | 230 |
| 5 | Michigan | 82 | 80 | 16 | 64 |
| 6 | Ohio | 80 | 70 | 17 | 39 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | 80 | 74 | 22 | 17 |
| 8 | New York | 72 | 64 | 17 | 119 |
| 9 | North Carolina | 67 | 57 | 8 | 88 |
| 10 | Georgia | 64 | 57 | 14 | 137 |
| 11 | Tennessee | 64 | 58 | 20 | 86 |
| 12 | Maryland | 56 | 54 | 14 | 13 |
| 13 | Alabama | 55 | 53 | 8 | 17 |
| 14 | Louisiana | 54 | 54 | 13 | 148 |
| 15 | Missouri | 46 | 44 | 15 | 3 |
| 16 | South Carolina | 43 | 37 | 8 | 48 |
| 17 | Washington | 43 | 41 | 11 | 90 |
| 18 | Virginia | 40 | 35 | 10 | 57 |
| 19 | Indiana | 37 | 35 | 11 | 57 |
| 20 | District of Columbia | 29 | 29 | 15 | 14 |
| 21 | Colorado | 27 | 25 | 9 | 46 |
| 22 | Arkansas | 26 | 23 | 9 | 69 |
| 23 | Connecticut | 23 | 20 | 7 | 16 |
| 24 | Kentucky | 23 | 22 | 5 | 44 |
| 25 | Mississippi | 22 | 20 | 7 | 14 |
| 26 | New Jersey | 21 | 19 | 8 | 6 |
| 27 | Oregon | 21 | 21 | 8 | 22 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | 20 | 18 | 4 | 26 |
| 29 | Minnesota | 18 | 16 | 3 | 21 |
| 30 | New Mexico | 18 | 15 | 4 | 45 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | 18 | 14 | 3 | 33 |
| 32 | Arizona | 17 | 15 | 6 | 10 |
| 33 | Kansas | 17 | 16 | 5 | 27 |
| 34 | Massachusetts | 16 | 15 | 3 | 8 |
| 35 | Nevada | 16 | 14 | 6 | 31 |
| 36 | Utah | 16 | 13 | 2 | 66 |
| 37 | Iowa | 15 | 14 | 3 | 19 |
| 38 | Delaware | 11 | 11 | 4 | 7 |
| 39 | Nebraska | 11 | 10 | 2 | 12 |
| 40 | Montana | 9 | 8 | 2 | 8 |
| 41 | New Hampshire | 7 | 7 | 8 | |
| 42 | Idaho | 6 | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| 43 | Rhode Island | 6 | 6 | 3 | 1 |
| 44 | Alaska | 5 | 5 | 1 | 8 |
| 45 | Maine | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| 46 | South Dakota | 5 | 5 | 4 | |
| 47 | West Virginia | 4 | 3 | 2 | 14 |
| 48 | Hawaii | 3 | 3 | 17 | |
| 49 | Vermont | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 50 | North Dakota | 2 | 1 | 4 | |
| 51 | Wyoming | 2 | 2 | 9 |
Number of School Shootings by State
Alabama
Number of School Shootings
55
Ranked in the US
#13
School Shooting Victims
53
Ranked in the US
#14
School Shooting Fatalities
8
Ranked in the US
#20
Guns at School
17
Ranked in the US
#28
Alaska
Number of School Shootings
5
Ranked in the US
#44
School Shooting Victims
5
Ranked in the US
#43
School Shooting Fatalities
1
Ranked in the US
#43
Guns at School
8
Ranked in the US
#39
Arizona
Number of School Shootings
17
Ranked in the US
#32
School Shooting Victims
15
Ranked in the US
#31
School Shooting Fatalities
6
Ranked in the US
#27
Guns at School
10
Ranked in the US
#37
Arkansas
Number of School Shootings
26
Ranked in the US
#22
School Shooting Victims
23
Ranked in the US
#22
School Shooting Fatalities
9
Ranked in the US
#18
Guns at School
69
Ranked in the US
#11
California
Number of School Shootings
206
Ranked in the US
#1
School Shooting Victims
192
Ranked in the US
#1
School Shooting Fatalities
69
Ranked in the US
#1
Guns at School
261
Ranked in the US
#1
Colorado
Number of School Shootings
27
Ranked in the US
#21
School Shooting Victims
25
Ranked in the US
#21
School Shooting Fatalities
9
Ranked in the US
#19
Guns at School
46
Ranked in the US
#17
Connecticut
Number of School Shootings
23
Ranked in the US
#23
School Shooting Victims
20
Ranked in the US
#25
School Shooting Fatalities
7
Ranked in the US
#25
Guns at School
16
Ranked in the US
#31
Delaware
Number of School Shootings
11
Ranked in the US
#38
School Shooting Victims
11
Ranked in the US
#38
School Shooting Fatalities
4
Ranked in the US
#31
Guns at School
7
Ranked in the US
#43
District of Columbia
Number of School Shootings
29
Ranked in the US
#20
School Shooting Victims
29
Ranked in the US
#20
School Shooting Fatalities
15
Ranked in the US
#10
Guns at School
14
Ranked in the US
#32
Florida
Number of School Shootings
113
Ranked in the US
#3
School Shooting Victims
107
Ranked in the US
#3
School Shooting Fatalities
29
Ranked in the US
#3
Guns at School
188
Ranked in the US
#3
Georgia
Number of School Shootings
64
Ranked in the US
#10
School Shooting Victims
57
Ranked in the US
#10
School Shooting Fatalities
14
Ranked in the US
#12
Guns at School
137
Ranked in the US
#6
Hawaii
Number of School Shootings
3
Ranked in the US
#48
School Shooting Victims
3
Ranked in the US
#47
Guns at School
17
Ranked in the US
#29
Idaho
Number of School Shootings
6
Ranked in the US
#42
School Shooting Victims
5
Ranked in the US
#44
School Shooting Fatalities
1
Ranked in the US
#44
Guns at School
5
Ranked in the US
#45
Illinois
Number of School Shootings
104
Ranked in the US
#4
School Shooting Victims
93
Ranked in the US
#4
School Shooting Fatalities
29
Ranked in the US
#4
Guns at School
230
Ranked in the US
#2
Indiana
Number of School Shootings
37
Ranked in the US
#19
School Shooting Victims
35
Ranked in the US
#18
School Shooting Fatalities
11
Ranked in the US
#15
Guns at School
57
Ranked in the US
#14
Iowa
Number of School Shootings
15
Ranked in the US
#37
School Shooting Victims
14
Ranked in the US
#34
School Shooting Fatalities
3
Ranked in the US
#34
Guns at School
19
Ranked in the US
#27
Kansas
Number of School Shootings
17
Ranked in the US
#33
School Shooting Victims
16
Ranked in the US
#29
School Shooting Fatalities
5
Ranked in the US
#29
Guns at School
27
Ranked in the US
#23
Kentucky
Number of School Shootings
23
Ranked in the US
#24
School Shooting Victims
22
Ranked in the US
#23
School Shooting Fatalities
5
Ranked in the US
#30
Guns at School
44
Ranked in the US
#19
Louisiana
Number of School Shootings
54
Ranked in the US
#14
School Shooting Victims
54
Ranked in the US
#12
School Shooting Fatalities
13
Ranked in the US
#14
Guns at School
148
Ranked in the US
#5
Maine
Number of School Shootings
5
Ranked in the US
#45
School Shooting Victims
5
Ranked in the US
#45
School Shooting Fatalities
1
Ranked in the US
#45
Guns at School
2
Ranked in the US
#50
Maryland
Number of School Shootings
56
Ranked in the US
#12
School Shooting Victims
54
Ranked in the US
#13
School Shooting Fatalities
14
Ranked in the US
#13
Guns at School
13
Ranked in the US
#35
Massachusetts
Number of School Shootings
16
Ranked in the US
#34
School Shooting Victims
15
Ranked in the US
#32
School Shooting Fatalities
3
Ranked in the US
#35
Guns at School
8
Ranked in the US
#40
Michigan
Number of School Shootings
82
Ranked in the US
#5
School Shooting Victims
80
Ranked in the US
#5
School Shooting Fatalities
16
Ranked in the US
#9
Guns at School
64
Ranked in the US
#13
Minnesota
Number of School Shootings
18
Ranked in the US
#29
School Shooting Victims
16
Ranked in the US
#30
School Shooting Fatalities
3
Ranked in the US
#36
Guns at School
21
Ranked in the US
#26
Mississippi
Number of School Shootings
22
Ranked in the US
#25
School Shooting Victims
20
Ranked in the US
#26
School Shooting Fatalities
7
Ranked in the US
#26
Guns at School
14
Ranked in the US
#33
Missouri
Number of School Shootings
46
Ranked in the US
#15
School Shooting Victims
44
Ranked in the US
#15
School Shooting Fatalities
15
Ranked in the US
#11
Guns at School
3
Ranked in the US
#48
Montana
Number of School Shootings
9
Ranked in the US
#40
School Shooting Victims
8
Ranked in the US
#40
School Shooting Fatalities
2
Ranked in the US
#39
Guns at School
8
Ranked in the US
#41
Nebraska
Number of School Shootings
11
Ranked in the US
#39
School Shooting Victims
10
Ranked in the US
#39
School Shooting Fatalities
2
Ranked in the US
#40
Guns at School
12
Ranked in the US
#36
Nevada
Number of School Shootings
16
Ranked in the US
#35
School Shooting Victims
14
Ranked in the US
#35
School Shooting Fatalities
6
Ranked in the US
#28
Guns at School
31
Ranked in the US
#22
New Hampshire
Number of School Shootings
7
Ranked in the US
#41
School Shooting Victims
7
Ranked in the US
#41
Guns at School
8
Ranked in the US
#42
New Jersey
Number of School Shootings
21
Ranked in the US
#26
School Shooting Victims
19
Ranked in the US
#27
School Shooting Fatalities
8
Ranked in the US
#21
Guns at School
6
Ranked in the US
#44
New Mexico
Number of School Shootings
18
Ranked in the US
#30
School Shooting Victims
15
Ranked in the US
#33
School Shooting Fatalities
4
Ranked in the US
#32
Guns at School
45
Ranked in the US
#18
New York
Number of School Shootings
72
Ranked in the US
#8
School Shooting Victims
64
Ranked in the US
#8
School Shooting Fatalities
17
Ranked in the US
#7
Guns at School
119
Ranked in the US
#7
North Carolina
Number of School Shootings
67
Ranked in the US
#9
School Shooting Victims
57
Ranked in the US
#11
School Shooting Fatalities
8
Ranked in the US
#22
Guns at School
88
Ranked in the US
#9
North Dakota
Number of School Shootings
2
Ranked in the US
#50
School Shooting Victims
1
Ranked in the US
#51
Guns at School
4
Ranked in the US
#46
Ohio
Number of School Shootings
80
Ranked in the US
#6
School Shooting Victims
70
Ranked in the US
#7
School Shooting Fatalities
17
Ranked in the US
#8
Guns at School
39
Ranked in the US
#20
Oklahoma
Number of School Shootings
18
Ranked in the US
#31
School Shooting Victims
14
Ranked in the US
#36
School Shooting Fatalities
3
Ranked in the US
#37
Guns at School
33
Ranked in the US
#21
Oregon
Number of School Shootings
21
Ranked in the US
#27
School Shooting Victims
21
Ranked in the US
#24
School Shooting Fatalities
8
Ranked in the US
#23
Guns at School
22
Ranked in the US
#25
Pennsylvania
Number of School Shootings
80
Ranked in the US
#7
School Shooting Victims
74
Ranked in the US
#6
School Shooting Fatalities
22
Ranked in the US
#5
Guns at School
17
Ranked in the US
#30
Rhode Island
Number of School Shootings
6
Ranked in the US
#43
School Shooting Victims
6
Ranked in the US
#42
School Shooting Fatalities
3
Ranked in the US
#38
Guns at School
1
Ranked in the US
#51
South Carolina
Number of School Shootings
43
Ranked in the US
#16
School Shooting Victims
37
Ranked in the US
#17
School Shooting Fatalities
8
Ranked in the US
#24
Guns at School
48
Ranked in the US
#16
South Dakota
Number of School Shootings
5
Ranked in the US
#46
School Shooting Victims
5
Ranked in the US
#46
Guns at School
4
Ranked in the US
#47
Tennessee
Number of School Shootings
64
Ranked in the US
#11
School Shooting Victims
58
Ranked in the US
#9
School Shooting Fatalities
20
Ranked in the US
#6
Guns at School
86
Ranked in the US
#10
Texas
Number of School Shootings
165
Ranked in the US
#2
School Shooting Victims
163
Ranked in the US
#2
School Shooting Fatalities
41
Ranked in the US
#2
Guns at School
150
Ranked in the US
#4
Utah
Number of School Shootings
16
Ranked in the US
#36
School Shooting Victims
13
Ranked in the US
#37
School Shooting Fatalities
2
Ranked in the US
#41
Guns at School
66
Ranked in the US
#12
Vermont
Number of School Shootings
3
Ranked in the US
#49
School Shooting Victims
2
Ranked in the US
#49
School Shooting Fatalities
1
Ranked in the US
#46
Guns at School
3
Ranked in the US
#49
Virginia
Number of School Shootings
40
Ranked in the US
#18
School Shooting Victims
35
Ranked in the US
#19
School Shooting Fatalities
10
Ranked in the US
#17
Guns at School
57
Ranked in the US
#15
Washington
Number of School Shootings
43
Ranked in the US
#17
School Shooting Victims
41
Ranked in the US
#16
School Shooting Fatalities
11
Ranked in the US
#16
Guns at School
90
Ranked in the US
#8
West Virginia
Number of School Shootings
4
Ranked in the US
#47
School Shooting Victims
3
Ranked in the US
#48
School Shooting Fatalities
2
Ranked in the US
#42
Guns at School
14
Ranked in the US
#34
Wisconsin
Number of School Shootings
20
Ranked in the US
#28
School Shooting Victims
18
Ranked in the US
#28
School Shooting Fatalities
4
Ranked in the US
#33
Guns at School
26
Ranked in the US
#24
Wyoming
Number of School Shootings
2
Ranked in the US
#51
School Shooting Victims
2
Ranked in the US
#50
Guns at School
9
Ranked in the US
#38