Enhancing School Safety: How Adolescents Obtain Firearms

To enhance school safety and reduce youth gun violence in the United States, we must focus on understanding how adolescents acquire the guns used in school shootings. As firearms have become the leading cause of mortality for children and teens — surpassing fatalities from motor vehicle accidents and major illnesses — it is more urgent now than ever to rigorously study the sources responsible for thousands of deaths and injuries in American schools.

My colleagues and I explored the types of firearms commonly used during school shootings. We also wanted to know how and where the shooter obtained the gun. Our study, published last year in JAMA Pediatrics, drew on data spanning 26 years from The American School Shooting Study (TASSS). TASSS is a first-of-its-kind database to systematically track virtually every known U.S. school shooting during this period. We meticulously analyzed incidents in the database involving 262 adolescents who committed 253 school shootings from 1990 to 2016, providing critical insights into preventing these tragedies.

We found that school shooters mostly used handguns — typically of small or medium calibers like the .22 or 9mm — rather than higher-powered military-style rifles or shotguns. An alarming trend we discovered is that over 60% of these firearms came from the shooters’ relatives or friends, with a large portion stolen from parents. This is not just a statistic. It is a glaring reminder of the risks of keeping firearms unsecured in the home. Over 80% of the guns obtained from family were stolen, largely from easily accessed locations. When shooters acquired weapons from friends, over 93% were borrowed or given as gifts.

This understanding shifts the conversation from gun control to responsible ownership.

At the same time, nearly 30% of firearms adolescents used during school shootings came from the street or illegal market. Along with policies that address safe and secure firearm storage, crime prevention strategies focused on curbing illegal gun trafficking could play a crucial role in preventing future school shootings.

Understanding these patterns is crucial for crafting policies that could save lives. Our research points to an often-ignored narrative contrary to the widespread media depiction of school shootings involving assault-style weapons. We found, instead, that school shootings typically involve more accessible, concealable, and less powerful firearms. This underscores a different aspect of the gun control debate—one focusing on just how easily adolescents can find handguns because they are not locked up. This understanding shifts the conversation from gun control to responsible ownership.

[W]e can aim for a future where school shootings are a rare occurrence rather than a recurring headline.

We see several useful strategies for keeping handguns out of reach of young people. First, we can implement and enforce child access prevention laws to make it more difficult for kids to take guns from their homes. Education campaigns targeted at gun owners about the importance of secure storage can also reduce unauthorized access to firearms by youth. Additionally, screening hospitalized youth for exposure to firearms – such as asking if they have access to guns at home or in their community – could help identify those at higher risk for involvement in gun violence, allowing for early intervention before a tragedy occurs.

Our findings offer a blueprint for policymakers, educators, and public health professionals seeking to mitigate gun violence in schools. By focusing on preventive measures that restrict youth access to firearms and promoting responsible gun ownership, we can aim for a future where school shootings are a rare occurrence rather than a recurring headline.

Overall, this research adds to our understanding of the dynamics behind school shootings. It is also a call to action. We need a combined approach that includes tighter security measures at home, community engagement, and policy reform. Together, these efforts can forge a path toward a safer environment for our children, schools, and communities.