Photo/Graphic Credit: KUTV Baltimore
By Mike Keleher
The FBI just issued a new report which reported statistics gathered with Active Shooter incidents in the United States between 2016 and 2017. They cited 50 such incidents in that two-year period and 40 incidents in the 2014-2015-time frame.
One of the most interesting pieces of information to emerge in the FBI report, is the number of armed and unarmed citizens who engaged active shooters during 2016-2017. The FBI even noted the success of those citizens in ending shooting sprees by armed criminals.
The report, which can be found at www.fbi.gov/file-repository/active-shooter-incidents-us-2016-2017.pdf/view states armed citizens engaged ten shooters and ended the incident safely in eight of those ten sprees:
“In 10 incidents, citizens confronted the shooter. In eight of those incidents, one or more citizens safely and successfully acted to end the shooting.
In four incidents, unarmed citizens confronted or persuaded the shooter to end the shooting.
In two incidents, school staff confronted and restrained the shooter. In one incident, the citizen used his car to thwart the shooter.
In one incident, the citizen persuaded the shooter to surrender via telephone during a police chase; she ran up to the shooter’s car as he came to a stop and pulled him out of his seat, bringing the chase to an end.
In four incidents, citizens possessing valid firearms permits successfully stopped the shooter. In two incidents, citizens exchanged gunfire with the shooter. In two incidents, the citizens held the shooter at gunpoint until law enforcement arrived.
In one incident, a citizen possessing a valid firearms permit exchanged gunfire with the shooter, causing the shooter to flee to another scene and continue shooting.
In one incident, a citizen possessing a valid firearms permit was wounded before he could fire at the shooter”
Other interesting data provided in the report:
There were 50 Active Shooter incidents in that two-year period across 21 states. During 2014-2015 there were 40 incidents in 26 states. 20 of the 50 events met the mass killing definition.
14 of the 50 incidents ended with exchange of gunfire with police during 2016-2017. 13 shooters committed suicide, 11 were killed by police, 18 were apprehended by police and 8 were stopped by citizen intervention.
13 law enforcement officers were killed during 2016-2017-a marked increase from the 2014-2015 data showing only 4 officers killed during active shooting events. 20 officers were wounded in 2016-2017 vs 10 wounded during 2014-2015.
Of the 50 shootings in the past two years, the FBI reports all were male. During 2014-2015 there were 42 shooters, 39 were male and 3 females.
In the 50 recent shootings only 3 suspects wore body armor.