Rate of Mass Shootings On-Track to Increase in 2021

Throughout 2021 and even 2020, mass shootings have still occurred in tremendous numbers throughout the country. The emergence of the coronavirus has not stopped these atrocities from happening, and they are even happening in record numbers. 

In 2020, there were a total of 610 mass shootings, an immense increase from years prior. For comparison, there were 417 mass shootings in 2019 and 336 mass shootings in 2018. 

This trend continues in 2021, as mass shootings have gripped the U.S. In January, five people were killed in Chicago, and in March, eight people were killed at three Atlanta spas, with six of those killed being of Asian descent. Ten people were murdered in Colorado at a grocery store during March, and in April, eight people were killed at a FedEx center in Indianapolis. 

2021 is looking to be a worse year than 2020 if the data is consistent. From Jan.1 to April 16, there were 85 mass shootings during the year of 2020. The amount of shootings in 2021 have skyrocketed, with 147 incidents having occurred in that time period. That marks a 73% increase from 2020.

One reason for the jump in shootings during 2021 is being described as a “contagion effect.” 

Dr. Jonathan M. Metzel of Vanderbilt University explains that shootings in general have a “strong copycat phenomena” and that “one [mass shooting] leads to another.” His group, Cure Violence Global, has also noticed that the lax on coronavirus related restrictions has left the people most on edge to start their violent behaviors again. 

This contagion effect hasn’t just been observed with Metzel and his organization. Jillian Peterson, the co-founder of The Violence Project says that “the media and social media” are places where activity of an active shooter gets spread. She asserts that the common causes for shootings come from the shooter’s need for validation, easy access to weapons and trauma resulting from past experiences. The fact that these shootings are happening at such a frequent rate gives the shooters more incentive to keep on doing it. 

A fervent combination of despair, rage, and desperation has been the nail in the coffin for these shooters to commit these monstrous acts, especially during the coronavirus pandemic. These uncertain times and enlarged divisions amongst groups of people allows for excuses to be formulated in the attackers’ brains, leading to disastrous consequences.

According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been a total of 158 mass shootings so far in the U.S., and that number is extremely likely to climb. Thus, the loss of more innocent life is imminent, and highlights a grim reality: The U.S. just cannot seem to distance itself from mass shootings.

Article by Jay Motiwala of Quince Orchard High School