Report on School-Related Shootings and Stabbings

Comprehensive Report on School-Related Shootings and Stabbings (August 2022 – April 2025)

Prepared by RJ Boatman, Executive Director

Center for Threat Assessment and Behavioral Intelligence (TABISystems.org)

Overview

The United States has experienced a significant increase in school-related violence from August 2022 through April 2025, notably marked by a record number of school shootings. The frequency and severity of these incidents highlight the urgent need for comprehensive threat assessments and enhanced prevention strategies.

Incident Trends

School Shootings

   •   School shootings have reached record highs, with 305 incidents reported in 2022, rising to more than 340 in 2023, marking three consecutive years of unprecedented occurrences.

   •   Texas and Louisiana stand out as states with notable increases, with Texas reporting 1,468 firearm incidents in the last decade, representing a 324% increase.

   •   Urban schools report a higher frequency of incidents compared to rural and suburban counterparts.

School Stabbings

   •   Knives were involved in approximately 3.9% of violent incidents during the 2023–2024 academic year, indicating a comparatively lower but persistent threat.

Demographics of Perpetrators

   •   Predominantly male (96%) perpetrators, aged mainly between 12 and 18 years old.

   •   Most perpetrators are current or former students of the targeted schools.

Weapons Used

   •   Handguns remain the most common firearm used in school shootings, with incidents causing significant casualties.

   •   Knives account for a smaller but notable fraction of school violence.

Casualties

   •   Active shooter incidents in elementary and secondary schools caused considerable harm, with 328 casualties in 2022 alone (131 fatalities, 197 injuries).

   •   Between 2021 and 2023, there were 912 reported school shootings, marking the highest incident rate over a three-year period in the last four decades.

Identified Causes and Motives

   •   Mental health challenges are prominently linked as underlying factors, supported by teacher-reported data advocating enhanced mental health screening and interventions.

   •   Incidents stemming from bullying, personal grievances, and retaliation have been documented, highlighting complex underlying motivations behind these violent acts.

Current Prevention and Response Measures

   •   Despite some security implementations (transparent backpacks, panic buttons, metal detectors, and armed personnel), only 30% of educators feel adequately prepared for active shooter scenarios.

   •   There is an evident gap between perceived preparedness and actual security effectiveness within school environments.

Recommendations

Given these trends, the following measures are recommended:

1. Enhanced mental health screening and proactive behavioral assessments within schools.

2. Strengthening threat assessment protocols tailored specifically for educational institutions.

3. Improved training and preparedness initiatives for school personnel, emphasizing realistic simulations and emergency response plans.

4. Community-engaged preventive efforts focusing on awareness, education, and intervention strategies targeting bullying and grievance-related triggers.

5. Implementing a program to have contracted off-duty police officers on every school campus during regular school hours can significantly enhance campus safety by providing immediate threat response, deterring potential incidents, and fostering stronger relationships between law enforcement, school staff, and students.

Conclusion

The rise in school violence necessitates a strategic, multifaceted approach to threat assessment, prevention, and response. Immediate action integrating behavioral intelligence, robust threat assessment systems, and preventive education is essential to mitigating these alarming trends.

For More Information

Please visit tabisystems.org or contact us at support@tabisystems.org.