FBI Reports Active Shooter Incidents Down 50% Last Year

The FBI said this week the number of active shooter attacks in the U.S. decreased 50% in 2024 as compared to 2023.

In 2024, the FBI designated 24 shootings as active shooter incidents, compared to 48 incidents in 2023, according to the “2024 Active Shooter Incidents in the United States” report .

FBI data says the 24 active shooter incidents in 2024 occurred in 19 states and represent five location categories, including open space, commerce, education, government, and houses of worship.

The FBI’s annual “Active Shooter Incidents in the United States” report provides an overview of active shooter incidents and responses to help law enforcement, other first responders, and the public better understand the levels of threats associated with active shooter incidents, the Bureau says. Information in the report FBI report is gathered from law enforcement partnerships.

The FBI defines an “active shooter” as one or more individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area. From 2020 to 2024, the FBI designated 223 active shooter incidents. While this represents an 70% increase in active shooter incidents from the previous five-year period (2015 to 2019), the data shows a downward trend overall. The 223 active shooter incidents from 2020 to 2024 occurred in 43 states and the District of Columbia, representing all seven location categories.

For more information on the 2024 Active Shooter Incidents in the United States report, as well as the FBI’s Active Shooter Safety Resources, visit fbi.gov/survive .