Methodology and data sources

The FBI’s Office of Law Enforcement Engagement (OLEE) led the research and preparation of the document, working closely with the Criminal Division, the Critical Incident Response Group, and FBI field offices, as well as state and local law enforcement agencies nationwide.

Percentages may not equal 100 due to rounding.

Active shooter incidents are a subset of gun violence. It is important to note that not all violent firearm crimes are considered active shooter attacks; many are excluded from FBI active shooter reports for specific reasons detailed in the methodology section.

Each year, the FBI’s active shooter report compiles and categorizes critical data to support law enforcement, emergency responders, private organizations, and the public to better understand these threats. By doing so, the report aims to provide valuable insights designed to aid in prevention, mitigation, and response efforts against active shooter situations.

This is the latest installment in the FBI’s series of active shooter reports, which have been published since September 2014.

A range of factors can influence the occurrence of active shooter incidents, including prevention efforts, preparedness measures, behavioral threat assessments, and enhanced communication and collaboration among law enforcement, private sector partners, and communities.

This report does not contain analysis regarding fluctuations in active shooter incidents from year to year.

The FBI collaborates with the ALERRT Center at Texas State University to form the FBI’s Active Shooter Working Group. This group evaluates shooting incidents against specific criteria for inclusion in the FBI’s annual active shooter report.

The methodology described was first discussed in Blair, J. Pete, and Schweit, Katherine W. A Study of Active Shooter Incidents in the United States Between 2000 and 2013, Texas State University and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, D.C., 2014.

To identify incidents that fit the active shooter definition, the FBI relies on multiple sources to include internal FBI records, official reports from investigating agencies when available, and information gathered from open-source outlets.

Conversely, not all firearm related incidents qualify as active shooter incidents, such as: • | Gang violence • | Drug-related violence • | Residential or domestic disputes • | Self-defense • | Barricade/Hostage situation • | Shootings in relation to another criminal act • | Crossfire as a byproduct of another ongoing criminal act

The methodology was first articulated in A Study of Active Shooter Incidents in the United States Between 2000 and 2013 and was applied to the 2025 incidents for consistency.

The data included in this report is derived from active shooter incidents in 2025 and is current as of March 19, 2026.

Prior to the publication of this report, the FBI conducted a regimented data verification and review process to provide readers with the most accurate information.

Summaries are listed in local time.

Firearm reload and malfunction data were not available for all incidents.

Firearm malfunction data was only available for incidents at Jackson County Public Library in Indiana and Border Patrol Annex in Texas.

This victim was not included in the overall casualty count for 2025, because this crime was not part of the Brown University attack.

Incident duration and law enforcement response details were available for two of the three shootings.

The FBI does not include the shooter in casualty counts.

This is a statistical representation of the types of firearms used in each incident, rather than an analysis of which specific firearm caused each type of casualty.

The data presented in this report offers a preliminary categorization of incidents based on information available prior to the publication of this report. It is important to note that this does not represent a comprehensive analysis of the shooter’s behavior leading up to the attack.

These classifications rely on reported behaviors suggesting the perpetrator likely engaged in planning and preparation for the act, and can be revised if further information becomes available.

Percentages may not equal 100 due to rounding.

*One shooter died in a motor vehicle crash and is not included in this table.

Refers to incidents included in the FBI’s Active Shooter Incidents in the United States reports from 2021 to 2025.

The FBI’s “Active Shooter Incidents in the United States|2025” report provides multifaceted data surrounding active shooter incidents to inform and assist law enforcement, security professionals, and the public to prepare for, mitigate, and respond to these attacks.

Stakeholders may leverage this data to improve tactical response, enhance community preparedness, and strengthen information sharing.

Exclusionary Factors • | Gang violence • | Drug-related violence • | Residential or domestic disputes • | Self-defense • | Barricade/Hostage situation • | Shootings in relation to another criminal act • | Crossfire as a byproduct of another ongoing criminal act None None