Secret Service urges early action to avoid mass shootings

The U.S. Secret Service in a report Wednesday urged workplace violence prevention programs and immediate response to individuals with concerning behaviors. The report analyzed 173 mass shootings between 2016 and 2020. The report comes after nearly 40 mass shootings have occurred this year.

What are some trends in mass shootings? The Secret Service said about half of mass shootings occurred in workplace settings. In nearly two-thirds of the cases, attackers exhibited behaviors beforehand “that were so concerning they should have been met with an immediate response.” It also said nearly half of the studied attackers had a history of domestic violence, misogynistic behavior, or both. Almost all the attackers operated alone, 96 percent were male, and they ranged in age from early teens to almost ninety.

Dig deeper: Read Susan Olasky’s report from the WORLD archives about how Christians should respond to mass shootings.