Over the past three years, there’s been a large increase in the number of shootings happening on school grounds. That number has nearly tripled since 2020. There were at least 346 school shootings during 2023, surpassing 2022’s tally of 308 and 2021’s tally of 256. As of January 3rd this year, there’s already been one shooting recorded. 

As far as the location of these shootings go, they most frequently happen in school parking lots, followed by in front of the school or beside the building. Other locations include football fields, school buses, classrooms, and hallways.

Most notably, these shootings occur primarily in the morning and during sporting events. We saw this happen several times throughout 2023, like when one 15-year-old was arrested in August for second-degree murder after they opened fire during a football game at Choctaw High School. Also last year, we witnessed the tragedy that unfolded in Nashville as six people lost their lives in a shooting caused by Audrey Hale, a former student, around 10 AM on March 27, shortly after school started.

The reasons why these traumatic and horrible events keep increasing are varied and complex. There is no one answer as to why, but experts expect 2024 to bring more of the same. They predict school shootings to exceed this year just as they did in 2023 and 2024.