The source defines an active shooter as “one or more individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area.” Definitions used by other sources may result in differing data.
School shootings are defined as incidents in which a gun is brandished or fired on school property or a bullet hits school property for any reason, regardless of the number of victims, time of day, day of the week, or reason.
Citation formats
Number of active shooters at U.S. schools and colleges 2000-2022, by age
From 2000 to 2022, the majority of active shooters in elementary and secondary schools in the United States were aged between 12 to 18 years, with ** active shooters included in this age group. In comparison, the majority of active shooters at postsecondary institutions in the United States were aged 25 years and above. According to the FBI, an active shooter is defined as "one or more individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area."
Profit from the additional features of your individual account
Currently, you are using a shared account. To use individual functions (e.g., mark statistics as favourites, set
statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account.
If you are an admin, please authenticate by logging in again.
Learn more about how Statista can support your business.
NCES. (August 31, 2023). Number of active shooters in elementary and secondary schools and at postsecondary institutions in the United States between 2000 and 2022, by age [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved May 09, 2026, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/407998/us-k-12-school-shootings-by-age-of-shooter/
NCES. "Number of active shooters in elementary and secondary schools and at postsecondary institutions in the United States between 2000 and 2022, by age ." Chart. August 31, 2023. Statista. Accessed May 09, 2026. https://www.statista.com/statistics/407998/us-k-12-school-shootings-by-age-of-shooter/
NCES. (2023). Number of active shooters in elementary and secondary schools and at postsecondary institutions in the United States between 2000 and 2022, by age . Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: May 09, 2026. https://www.statista.com/statistics/407998/us-k-12-school-shootings-by-age-of-shooter/
NCES. "Number of Active Shooters in Elementary and Secondary Schools and at Postsecondary Institutions in The United States between 2000 and 2022, by Age ." Statista, Statista Inc., 31 Aug 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/407998/us-k-12-school-shootings-by-age-of-shooter/
NCES, Number of active shooters in elementary and secondary schools and at postsecondary institutions in the United States between 2000 and 2022, by age Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/407998/us-k-12-school-shootings-by-age-of-shooter/ (last visited May 09, 2026)
Number of active shooters in elementary and secondary schools and at postsecondary institutions in the United States between 2000 and 2022, by age [Graph], NCES, August 31, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/407998/us-k-12-school-shootings-by-age-of-shooter/
