The United States has the most number of gun violence cases in the world. Every year, reports on mass shootings flood the internet. 

Research shows there is a wide disparity between male and female mass shooters.

Let’s dive into it in this article on mass shootings in the US by gender. 

Mass Shootings in the US by Gender

Between 1982 and 2023, mass shootings in the US were are predominantly initiated by male perpetrators. 

The latest data from Statista published in April 2023 shows that out of 142 mass shooting incidents recorded in the United States, 136 of the perpetrators during this period are men.

Only four (4) are women, and two (2) are male and female. 

Mass Shootings in the US by State

Meanwhile, here is a piece of relevant information on the number of mass shootings in the US by state between 1982 to 2023. 

• California – the state recorded a total of 25 mass shootings between 1982 to April 2023
• Texas and Florida – each state recorded 12 mass shootings between 1982 to April 2023
• Colorado – the state recorded a total of 8 mass shootings between 1982 to April 2023
• Washington – the state recorded a total of 7 mass shootings between 1982 to April 2023
• Wisconsin, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and New York – each state recorded 5 mass shootings between 1982 to April 2023
• Maryland, Ohio, Virginia, and Michigan – each state recorded 4 mass shootings between 1982 to April 2023
• Kentucky, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and Connecticut – each state recorded 3 mass shootings between 1982 to April 2023
• Indiana, Nevada, Missouri, Oregon, Minnesota, Oklahoma, and South Carolina – each state recorded 2 mass shootings between 1982 to April 2023
• Kansas, Louisiana, Utah, Massachusetts, D.C., Arkansas, Arizona, Mississippi, Iowa, Hawaii, Alabama, Nebraska, and New Jersey – each state recorded 1 mass shooting between 1982 to April 2023

United States Has the Most Number of Civilian-held Firearms

The United States is the country with the highest percentage of civilian gun ownership in the world.

The country accounts for 46% of civilian-held firearms globally. 

An estimated 5% of the entire population is in possession of guns. In 2017, there were close to 400 million privately-owned guns in the country.

Considering the population count of 326 million people during that year, private possession of firearms per individual was at 1 to 1.2. 

Gun Violence and Racial Tensions

Studies show racial tensions in gun violence are present.

Half of the gun violence victims in the United States are black. Of 100,000 gun deaths, 14.6 are black while only 1.9 are white. 

Mass Shooting Triggers

Full data on mass shootings in the US by gender will not be complete without examining what drives perpetrators to do what they do. 

Mental illness is known to be the primary driver among culprits.

It is believed that one in a third of these cases is driven by mental problems. 

There is also a lack of sensible gun laws across governments worldwide.

Reports show even after the deadly mass shooting at Sandy Hook in 2012, 14 Republican-led states in the US passed laws allowing citizens to own guns in private without needing to apply for licenses. 

Lastly, there are no clearly-established legislations that regulate gun storage.

As of this writing, no existing Federal law on standardized firearm locks and other safety measures. 

Deadliest Mass Shooting Incidents in the United States

From 1996 to 2020, the United States recorded a total of 402 mass shootings resulting in 1,449 deaths. 

Here are the deadliest mass shooting incidents ever recorded in the United States, with the number of casualties in each incident. 

• Las Vegas, Nevada – the mass shooting incident in the state that took place in 2017 led to 59 casualties
• Orlando, Florida – the mass shooting incident in the state that took place in 2016 led to 50 casualties
• Blacksburg, Virginia – the mass shooting incident in the state that took place in 2007 led to 32 casualties
• Sandy Hook, Connecticut – the mass shooting incident in the state that took place in 2012 led to 28 casualties
• Sutherland Springs, Texas – the mass shooting incident in the state that took place in 2017 led to 27 casualties

Where Did Mass Shootings Take Place?

Here is a summary of the places where mass shootings took place in the past.

As can be seen from the data, most of these incidents happened within workplaces which accounted for 30.8% of the total.

• Workplace – 30.8% of all reported mass shootings as of April 2023 happened in this location
• Retail establishment – 16.9% of all reported mass shootings as of April 2023 happened in this location
• Bar or restaurant – 13.4% of all reported mass shootings as of April 2023 happened in this location
• Residential location – 8.1% of all reported mass shootings as of April 2023 happened in this location
• Outdoors – 8.1% of all reported mass shootings as of April 2023 happened in this location
• K-12 schools – 7.6% of all reported mass shootings as of April 2023 happened in this location
• Place of worship – 6.4% of all reported mass shootings as of April 2023 happened in this location
• College or university – 5.2% of all reported mass shootings as of April 2023 happened in this location
• Government or place for civic engagements – 3.5% of all reported mass shootings as of April 2023 happened in this location

Conclusion

Mass shootings in the US by gender reveal 136 are carried out by men and four (40) by women.

This means more than 95% of the entire statistics are driven by male perpetrators. 

Regardless of gender, gun violence is a growing problem today. In the United States, mass shootings resulted in 1,449 deaths from 1996 to 2020.

Stricter regulations are clearly-established gun handling guidelines are important. 

Sources