Five years after Parkland, what has changed?
One week, two widely publicized mass shootings. One at a school and another a few buildings down from where a shooter killed 23 in 2019.
These two mass shootings come on the heels of the fifth anniversary of the 2018 Parkland, Florida shooting, one of the deadliest school shootings in recent memory.
This is a uniquely American experience. The United States is a global outlier when it comes to mass shootings and gun deaths. Where does that leave the public?
It means that a generation of kids in the U.S. is all too familiar with the cycles of mass shootings and gun violence. Americans agree on many parts of gun reform, but partisanship still holds many solutions back.
Below in five charts we look at the state of gun violence in America.
- Wrong Trend. Firearms are killing more people. Since 2014, deaths from guns grew significantly. Even as notable mass shootings galvanized the nation, things have changed for the worse. The data is clear.
- Getting worse. If it seems like mass shootings are becoming more common in the U.S., it’s because they are. Five years after the 2018 Parkland shooting, one of the deadliest school shootings in recent memory, the number of mass shootings has increased year-over-year, aside from a slight drop in 2022. Unfortunately, the mass shooting at Michigan State University this week adds to this. Again, the trend is clear.
- Never ending cycle. The commonness of mass shootings has turned them from a nation-stopping tragedy into just another part of the news cycle. In 2022, immediately following the Uvalde, Texas shooting that left 19 children and two adults dead in May, news attention and concern with gun violence rose but waned in the months after. What’s the definition of insanity?
- The lockdown drill generation. Most younger Americans grew up with lockdown drills. Active shooter drills have been part of most of Gen Z’s childhood education, after making up little to none of older Americans’ childhoods. It doesn’t look like that is going away anytime soon. Isn’t it crazy?
- Partisan roadblocks. When it comes to assault rifles most Americans support background checks. These weapons enable some of the deadliest mass shootings despite making up a small portion of overall gun violence. Majorities of Democrats, independents, and Republicans agree. Yet, solutions don’t materialize. Exasperating.
Mass shootings seem to be just part of the social milieu called America. These shootings are now following students throughout their education. Some of the students who survived the MSU shooting were living through their second school shooting.
The status of guns as part of the American experience makes it particularly difficult to combat gun violence and school shootings. As the shootings continue, solutions seem far and few between. Yes, behavior is ingrained. But something must change.
