Sources of Firearms Used by Children in K-12 School Shootings, 1999-2021

AO_SCPLOWBSTRACTC_SCPLOWO_ST_ABSBackgroundC_ST_ABSShootings in US schools have become common and deadly events. Little is known about the sources of firearms used in these shootings. MethodsWe used the K-12 School Shooting Database (K-12 SSDB) to identify a sample of shootings on school campuses between 1999 and 2021 that were perpetrated by children (<18 years) and resulted in at least one death or injury. We searched news stories and public records to gather information on the sources of the firearms used in these shootings. Additional descriptive information on the shootings, shooters, and victims came from the K-12 SSDB. ResultsA total of 217 school shootings met our eligibility criteria, and we recovered information on the source of the firearms used in 65 (30%) of them. Most of the shootings occurred inside (68%) and involved one shooter (97%) who typically used a handgun (80%). A total of 71% of the shootings involved assault or homicide, 26% were accidental, and 3% involved an assault or homicide that ended in the shooters suicide. In 60% of the shootings, shooters obtained the firearm(s) from their home. The next most common sources were another persons home (17%) or the street (17%). Among shootings for which the firearms were obtained from the shooters home, 77% belonged to a parent or guardian and 18% belonged to another relative. ConclusionsFirearms used by child perpetrators of K-12 school shootings come predominantly from the shooters home, where they usually belong to the perpetrators parents. Stronger adherence to guidelines for safe firearm storage has the potential to reduce risks of these tragedies.