MASOVNA UBISTVA U ŠKOLAMA
MASS SHOOTINGS IN SCHOOLS

Summary/Abstract: Mass shootings have become increasingly common over the years and have dramatically risen since 1966. A mass shooting is defined as the criminal act of killing four or more people, excluding the perpetrator(s), in one event, at one location. School mass shootings involve students or former students of the school, who choose victims randomly or symbolically. Although they make up a small fraction of the global murder rate, school mass shootings committed by children or minors using firearms have a significant impact on society, garner widespread media attention, and evoke collective fear. The study provides an analysis of characteristics of the perpetrator, school, and firearms in school mass shootings. The methodology includes analysis and synthesis of theoretical and empirical findings. Electronic bibliographic databases such as KOBSON, Google Scholar, and ResearchGate were searched to access relevant scientific sources. Characteristics of the perpetrators that appear as risk factors were identified. The results suggest that school and incident characteristics are significantly related to the severity of shootings in schools. Assessment of threats of mass shootings in schools with firearms should include a history of animal abuse, family violence where the potential perpetrator may be a victim, perpetrator, or observer, and diagnosis of disorders during childhood. Such a comprehensive assessment can be part of preventive activities conducted by mental health professionals

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