I have been thinking of mass murder events (4 or more killed in the same killing spree) with faith-based organizations and was interested in knowing how the statistical data would compare on those 16 events as it related to the motives (attack triggers) of those attacks.
Here is the full list again.
9/15/1963. Birmingham, AL. 4 killed.
6/22/1980. Daingerfield, TX. 5 killed.
8/9& 10/1991. Waddell, AZ. 9 killed.
3/10/1999. Gonzales, LA. 4 killed.
9/15/1999. Ft. Worth, TX – 7 killed.
3/12/2005. Brookfield, WI – 7 killed.
8/28/2005. Sash, TX – 4 killed.
5/21/2006. Baton Rouge, LA – 5 killed.
10/2/2006. Lancaster County, PA – 5 killed.
12/9/2007. Arvada and Colorado Springs, CO – 4 killed.
4/2/2012. Oakland, CA – 7 killed.
8/5/2012. Oak Creek, WI. 7 killed.
6/17/2015. Charleston, SC – 9 killed.
11/5/2017. Sutherland Springs, TX – 26 killed.
10/27/2018. Pittsburgh, PA – 11 killed
2/28/2022. Sacramento, CA – 4 killed.
Here is the data as it relates to attack triggers.
The overall top reasons (attack triggers) for all 2,183 deadly force incidents are different from those of the 16 most violent (mass murder) attacks. While “bias” related (against any religion or people group) is very uncommon (5.08%) of 2,183 recorded incidents, it is the most common reason for a mass murder event. 6 of those 16 attacks (37.5%) were bias motivated.
Domestic violence however is the 2nd most common attack trigger (14.3%) for all 2,183 incidents as well as the 2nd most common (4 or 25%) of the mass murder events.
While robbery is the most common reason a deadly force incident has occurred of the overall study (24.68% of event triggers) it has only resulted in 1 mass murder event at a ministry.
Think About it
I was asked by an AP reporter from New York last week, “Don’t you think the real problem is the number of guns on the streets?” I will never understand the mindset of those who look at the tool instead of the responsibility of the attacker. Did you know that 100% of traffic fatalities involved a vehicle!?
We will take a closer look at the meaning of these mass attack numbers in next week’s article.
Note: A recent US President changed the definition of “mass murder” from 4, to 3 killed. The FBSN continues to define mass murder as 4.