FBI: Active shooter incidents in U.S. dropped 50% in 2024, open spaces still most targeted

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has released its annual analysis titled Active Shooter Incidents in the United States, 2024, confirming that the number of designated active shooter events in the country fell by half last year. According to the report, which covers calendar year 2024, the FBI identified 24 qualifying incidents across 19 states. This represents a 50 percent decline compared to the 48 incidents reported in 2023. The comprehensive report was produced in partnership with the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Center at Texas State University and was published by the U.S. Department of Justice as part of ongoing national efforts to improve active shooter response, training, and public awareness.

How Many Active Shooter Incidents Were Recorded in 2024?

The 2024 report marks the lowest annual count of active shooter events since 2020 and reflects a broader decline in violence involving individuals actively attempting to kill people in populated areas with firearms. While the agency did not provide a definitive explanation for the reduction, the data has been validated through partnerships with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, as well as open-source verification. The FBI clarified that although the count was lower, the threat of such violence remains serious and dynamic, requiring sustained vigilance. In total, the 24 incidents resulted in 106 casualties, including 23 people killed and 83 injured.

The FBI’s definition of an active shooter involves one or more individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people using firearms in a public or populated area. Importantly, this definition excludes gang violence, domestic disputes, and self-defense shootings. The 2024 data cutoff was February 9, 2025, and the agency confirmed that earlier years’ figures were not retroactively updated. The report serves to provide law enforcement, emergency responders, and community leaders with data-driven insights that can inform prevention and intervention strategies.

Where Did These Shootings Happen?

According to the FBI’s geographical breakdown, Texas reported the highest number of active shooter incidents in 2024 with four, followed by California and North Carolina with two each. A wide distribution of single-incident states included Georgia, Florida, Arkansas, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Alaska, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Colorado, and Washington. The events spanned a broad range of population densities, with some occurring in towns of fewer than 10,000 residents, while others took place in cities with populations exceeding half a million.

The location categories most affected in 2024 were open spaces, which accounted for 12 of the 24 incidents. Commerce and education each saw four incidents, while three occurred on government premises. One attack was recorded at a house of worship. No incidents were recorded in health care settings or residential homes this year. The dominance of open space as the primary environment for these attacks is consistent with trends observed in prior years, underscoring the vulnerability of public venues such as parks, streets, and commercial districts.

How Deadly Were the 2024 Incidents?

While the total number of events was reduced, certain incidents still resulted in significant casualties. The most deadly occurred at The Mad Butcher #406 supermarket in Fordyce, Arkansas, where four people were killed and ten others wounded. The report lists this as one of three incidents in 2024 that met the federal definition of a mass killing, which is defined as three or more deaths excluding the shooter. Other high-casualty events included the Apalachee High School shooting in Winder, Georgia, where four individuals were killed and nine wounded, and the attack at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, which left two dead and six injured. In contrast, two incidents resulted in no physical casualties due to rapid intervention or other factors that remain under investigation.

Who Were the Shooters?

The 2024 report identifies 25 shooters across the 24 incidents, with one incident involving two perpetrators. The demographic analysis shows that 22 of the shooters were male and three were female. Ages ranged widely, from as young as 14 to as old as 73. The shooters collectively used 29 firearms, with handguns being the most commonly used weapon type, accounting for 59 percent of the total. Rifles were used in 31 percent of cases and shotguns in 10 percent. One shooter attempted to use an improvised explosive device, which ultimately did not detonate. Notably, no shooter in 2024 wore body armor—a deviation from patterns observed in prior years.

Five shooters were identified as insider threats, meaning they had a pre-existing relationship with the targeted location or one of the victims. These cases included current students or employees and underscore the importance of behavioral threat assessment within organizations. The average age of shooters slightly declined from 34 in 2023 to 33 in 2024.

What Was the Law Enforcement Response?

Law enforcement exchanged gunfire with shooters in six of the 24 incidents, resulting in one officer killed and five injured. In 18 other cases, no shots were fired by police, either because the suspect was subdued through other means or had died by suicide before officers arrived. Overall, law enforcement apprehended 14 of the 25 shooters. Five were killed by police during engagements, and six died by suicide either at the scene or shortly afterward. Of the apprehended shooters, nine were captured at a separate location from the attack, suggesting either flight attempts or strategic delays in surrender.

The FBI highlighted rapid response times in incidents that took place in educational institutions, where the average duration of the event was just over three minutes and the average police response time was under two minutes. In one such case, a civilian intervened and was fatally wounded—an act recognized in the report as a rare but notable example of community bravery.

What’s the Long-Term Trend?

Despite the substantial year-over-year decline, the broader five-year trend remains concerning. From 2020 through 2024, the FBI recorded 223 active shooter incidents nationwide—a 70 percent increase compared to the 131 incidents logged between 2015 and 2019. These events resulted in 1,070 casualties, including 369 deaths and 701 injuries. The majority of incidents occurred in open spaces and commercial settings. Education-related shootings accounted for just six percent of the five-year total, but often resulted in higher average casualties per event. The data shows that 48 of the 223 incidents during the five-year period qualified as mass killings.

During this same period, 227 individuals were identified as shooters. Of these, 215 were male and only nine were female, with three suspects remaining at large. The shooters employed 283 firearms, including 178 handguns and 76 rifles. Only a small fraction of attackers wore body armor or attempted to deploy explosives. Most were either apprehended or died at the scene, while a few were killed by civilians or remained on the run.

What Is the FBI Doing to Prevent Future Attacks?

The Bureau emphasized its continued focus on proactive threat mitigation through programs like the Active Shooter Attack Prevention and Preparedness (ASAPP) initiative. The FBI, in collaboration with the ALERRT Center, trains thousands of law enforcement officers each year in rapid response techniques. Additionally, the FBI supports the “Don’t Name Them” campaign, which discourages media coverage that may unintentionally glorify perpetrators.

The FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit, particularly the Behavioral Threat Assessment Center, plays a critical role in monitoring individuals who may be at risk of carrying out targeted violence. The report noted that 58 percent of the 2024 incidents were preceded by predatory behavior—defined as planning and preparation. This distinction is important because it implies potential opportunities for intervention through early detection and reporting of suspicious behavior.

Outlook for 2025 and Beyond

Although the decline in incidents offers a moment of cautious optimism, federal officials and public safety experts are urging communities not to become complacent. The report makes clear that even as the overall number of incidents falls, the nature of active shooter attacks continues to evolve. Open space shootings remain the most common, but insider threats and rapid-deployment events in educational and commercial settings continue to present complex challenges. The FBI reaffirmed that strong community engagement, threat reporting mechanisms, and interagency cooperation will remain essential components of national prevention efforts as the country navigates the year ahead.