Why America’s Frequent Mass Attacks Are Due – Gunmen’s ‘Profile’

Mass killings with guns have become a common occurrence in the US in recent decades. But lawmakers remain divided on solutions, with Democrats calling for more gun control measures while Republicans focus on mental health and increased security.

A 70-page report released today by the US intelligence agency’s National Threat Assessment Center examined 173 attacks on crowds from 2016 to 2020.

The attacks targeted, among others, work and religious places, public transport and caused the death of 513 people and the injury of 1,234.

Half of these were caused by personal, family or work disputes and the perpetrators were overwhelmingly male, often with a history of mental health symptoms, financial insecurity or a history of domestic violence.

Handguns were usually the weapon of choice for perpetrators.

According to the report, firearms were used in 73% of the incidents, including attacks by some who were prohibited from owning a gun.

The report comes just days after two gunmen attacked crowds in California that killed 18 people and while authorities are still searching for the motives of the attackers, who were older men.

The center’s head, Lina Alatari, said it is common to find behaviors among perpetrators that might have helped others spot a problem beforehand.

“The interest in violence, the interest in perpetrators of past mass attacks, posting about them, having conversations about them, bringing a gun to school, being feared by peers, the complaints,” he said. “These are all themes we see over and over again.”

State-level “warning sign” laws that allow a court-ordered removal of a gun from someone who poses a danger could curb such attacks, the report concluded.

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