Trends in mass shootings in the United States (2013-2021): A worsening American epidemic of death

Megan Donnelly¹, Areg Grigorian², Kenji Inaba³, Ninh Nguyen⁴, Christian de Virgilio⁵, Sebastian Schubl⁶, Anushka Paladugu⁷, Lourdes Swentek⁸, Jeffry Nahmias⁹

Affiliations

¹ University of California, Irvine, Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma, Burns and Surgical Critical Care, Orange, CA, USA. Electronic address: mrdonnel@hs.uci.edu.
² University of Southern California, Department of Surgery, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: areg.grigorian@med.usc.edu.
³ University of Southern California, Department of Surgery, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: kenji.inaba@med.usc.edu.
⁴ University of California, Irvine, Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma, Burns and Surgical Critical Care, Orange, CA, USA. Electronic address: ninhn@hs.uci.edu.
⁵ Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Department of Surgery, Torrance, CA, USA. Electronic address: cdevirgilio@lundquist.org.
⁶ University of California, Irvine, Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma, Burns and Surgical Critical Care, Orange, CA, USA. Electronic address: sschubl@hs.uci.edu.
⁷ University of California, Irvine, Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma, Burns and Surgical Critical Care, Orange, CA, USA. Electronic address: apaladug@hs.uci.edu.
⁸ University of California, Irvine, Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma, Burns and Surgical Critical Care, Orange, CA, USA. Electronic address: lyrobles@hs.uci.edu.
⁹ University of California, Irvine, Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma, Burns and Surgical Critical Care, Orange, CA, USA. Electronic address: https://twitter.com/jnahmias1.

PMID: 37032237
DOI: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2023.03.028

Free article

Trends in mass shootings in the United States (2013-2021): A worsening American epidemic of death

Megan Donnelly et al. Am J Surg. 2023 Aug.

Free article

. 2023 Aug;226(2):197-201.

doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2023.03.028. Epub 2023 Apr 6.

Authors

Megan Donnelly¹, Areg Grigorian², Kenji Inaba³, Ninh Nguyen⁴, Christian de Virgilio⁵, Sebastian Schubl⁶, Anushka Paladugu⁷, Lourdes Swentek⁸, Jeffry Nahmias⁹

Affiliations

¹ University of California, Irvine, Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma, Burns and Surgical Critical Care, Orange, CA, USA. Electronic address: mrdonnel@hs.uci.edu.
² University of Southern California, Department of Surgery, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: areg.grigorian@med.usc.edu.
³ University of Southern California, Department of Surgery, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: kenji.inaba@med.usc.edu.
⁴ University of California, Irvine, Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma, Burns and Surgical Critical Care, Orange, CA, USA. Electronic address: ninhn@hs.uci.edu.
⁵ Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Department of Surgery, Torrance, CA, USA. Electronic address: cdevirgilio@lundquist.org.
⁶ University of California, Irvine, Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma, Burns and Surgical Critical Care, Orange, CA, USA. Electronic address: sschubl@hs.uci.edu.
⁷ University of California, Irvine, Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma, Burns and Surgical Critical Care, Orange, CA, USA. Electronic address: apaladug@hs.uci.edu.
⁸ University of California, Irvine, Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma, Burns and Surgical Critical Care, Orange, CA, USA. Electronic address: lyrobles@hs.uci.edu.
⁹ University of California, Irvine, Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma, Burns and Surgical Critical Care, Orange, CA, USA. Electronic address: https://twitter.com/jnahmias1.

PMID: 37032237
DOI: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2023.03.028

Abstract

Background: Mass shootings represent a significant problem in the United States (US). This study aimed to examine trends in mass shootings in the US over time.

Methods: Retrospective mass shooting data (1/2013-12/2021) were collected from the Gun Violence Archive. A scatterplot was constructed showing predicted (extrapolated from 2013 to 2019) versus actual total mass shootings in 2020 and 2021. Multivariate linear regressions were performed to evaluate trends in mass shootings over time, associated with gun law strength.

Results: Mass shooting incidents, injuries, and deaths in 2020 and 2021 exceeded extrapolations from previous years. When comparing 2019 to 2020, stronger gun laws were associated with decreased monthly mass shooting deaths. For these same strong gun law states, monthly mass shooting deaths decreased when comparing 2019 to 2021 and comparing 2020 to 2021.

Conclusions: US mass shootings have increased over the past decade. Stronger gun laws appear associated with fewer monthly mass shooting-related deaths. Firearm-related legislation may at least partially, curtail the worsening of this substantial "American problem" of mass shootings.

Keywords: COVID-19; Firearm violence; Mass shooting; Pandemic.

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Trends in mass shootings in the United States (2013-2021): A worsening American epidemic of death

Affiliations

Trends in mass shootings in the United States (2013-2021): A worsening American epidemic of death

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

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