New Secret Service Research Examines for the First Time Five Years of Mass Violence Data

The authors analyzed 173 incidents of mass violence from 2016 to 2020. The report provides an overview of the attacks (e.g., timing, location, motives, weapons involved) and another section on characteristics of the attackers (e.g., criminal behavior, substance use, mental health, and belief systems). Findings indicate that most attackers exhibited concerning behavior prior to the incident, and that behavioral threat assessment programs are a helpful tool in identifying and addressing this type of behavior, potentially preventing future mass violence incidents.