New Study of Mass Shootings by Mayors Against Illegal Guns Shows New Striking Trends

A comprehensive study by Mayors Against Illegal Guns of mass shootings in the last four years has revealed new findings on trends in where mass shootings occur, what weapons are used, and what other factors are at play.

The study identified 43 mass shootings where four or more people were murdered between January 2009 and January 2013.

Findings include:

• Less than 1 percent of gun murder victims were killed as part of incidents with four or more victims.
• In at least 40 percent of the incidents, the shooter killed a current or former spouse or intimate partner.
• Assault weapons or high capacity magazines were used in 28 percent of the incidents, and when they were used, more than twice the number of people were shot and 50 percent more were killed.
• No more than 33 percent of the shootings occurred in public spaces that were so-called ‘gun-free zones.’

These findings challenge some of the conventional wisdom about mass shootings, and the report highlights the areas in which further attention and research are needed. Click here to download the full report.

Mayors Against Illegal Guns

Since its inception in April 2006, Mayors Against Illegal Guns has grown from 15 mayors to more than 850 mayors from across the country, including University City Mayor Shelley Welsch.

The bipartisan coalition, co-chaired by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, has united the nation’s mayors around these common goals:

• Protecting their communities by holding gun offenders and irresponsible gun dealers accountable; 
• Demanding access to trace data that is critical to law enforcement efforts to combat illegal gun trafficking; and 
• Working with legislators to fix gaps, weaknesses and loopholes in the law that make it far too easy for criminals and other prohibited purchasers to get guns.