If you’ve been doom-scrolling through the news lately, it’s easy to feel like things are getting worse every single day. We see the headlines. We see the police tape. But when you actually sit down and look at the hard data for the number of school shootings in us 2025, the story is actually a lot more complicated—and in some ways, surprisingly different—than what most people assume.
Honestly, we’re at a weird crossroads.
2025 was a year of massive contradictions. On one hand, the total count of incidents where a gun was fired on school grounds dropped to a five-year low. On the other, the events that did happen felt increasingly personal and localized.
The data behind the number of school shootings in US 2025
Let’s get into the weeds for a second. According to the K-12 School Shooting Database, which is basically the gold standard for tracking this stuff because they count everything from a shot fired in a parking lot to a full-scale tragedy, there were 233 incidents in 2025.
That sounds like a huge number. And it is. But for context, 2023 saw 352 incidents. That means we saw a roughly 34% drop from the peak just two years ago.
Education Week, which uses a much stricter set of rules (they only count it if someone other than the shooter is actually hit by a bullet while school is in session), reported only 18 shootings that resulted in injuries or deaths. That is the lowest they’ve seen since 2020.
Why the massive gap between 233 and 18? Definitions.
Basically, if a gang-related fight happens in a school parking lot at 10:00 PM on a Saturday, the K-12 Database counts it. Education Week doesn't. Both numbers matter, but they tell different stories. One tells us about the general presence of guns near kids; the other tells us about the "massacre" style events we all fear most.
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The human toll we can't ignore
Numbers are cold. They don't capture the panic. In 2025, while the quantity of events went down, the exposure rate is still high.
- Total victims: 148 people were injured or killed on K-12 campuses.
- Fatalities: 7 people died in these incidents (down from 18 in 2024).
- The "Mass Shooting" threshold: Only two events in 2025 met the Gun Violence Archive’s definition of a mass shooting (four or more victims).
One of the most devastating days of the year happened on August 27, 2025. A former student opened fire during a Mass at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. Two children, ages 8 and 10, were killed. Another 21 people were injured.
It was a gut-punch. It happened just as the new school year was starting. It reminded everyone that even in a "down" year, the potential for total heartbreak is always just one unlocked door away.
Where and when did these shootings happen?
You might think most of these happen in the middle of a math class. Not really.
The data shows a huge chunk of the number of school shootings in us 2025 actually happened during transition times or after hours. We're talking about dismissal, morning arrival, and especially high school sports.
In October 2025, for instance, a shooting at Heidelberg High School during a homecoming game left three people dead. It wasn't a "classroom" shooting, but for the community, the trauma is exactly the same.
Texas and California topped the list for the highest number of incidents—21 and 22 respectively. This isn't necessarily because those states are "more dangerous," but simply because they have the largest student populations. If you look at exposure rates per capita, places like Delaware and Washington D.C. actually saw much higher risks for the average student.
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The demographics of the 2025 shooters
The profile hasn't changed much, which is frustrating for experts like Ken Trump, a long-time school safety consultant.
About 89% of shooters in 2025 were under the age of 22. Most were current or former students. 98% were male.
There's this weird thing where we keep looking for "the monster under the bed," but usually, it's a kid who was already sitting in the third row, struggling with social dynamics or a specific grievance.
What actually worked in 2025?
So, why did the numbers drop? Nobody is 100% sure, but there are a few working theories.
Some experts point to the "red flag" laws that have finally started to gain some teeth in several states. Others think the massive investment in "threat assessment teams"—groups of teachers and counselors who intervene before a kid pulls a trigger—is finally paying off.
It’s not just about metal detectors. In fact, many experts argue that "hard security" like bulletproof glass is less effective than "soft security" like having teachers who actually notice when a student is spiraling.
Limitations of the 2025 data
We have to be honest: the data is messy.
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If a kid brings a gun to school and shows it to a friend in the bathroom but doesn't fire it, does that count? Most databases say no, unless it's "brandished with intent." This means our "incidents" count might be a fraction of the actual "near misses."
Also, college campuses are a different beast. While K-12 shootings were down, we saw a horrific event at Brown University in December 2025 that left two dead and nine injured. We often separate "school" shootings from "campus" shootings, but for a parent, that distinction feels pretty meaningless.
Actionable steps for parents and educators
We can't just look at the number of school shootings in us 2025 and sigh with relief because the line on the graph went down. We have to do something with the info.
1. Demand Active Supervision over Gadgets
Tech is cool, but it fails. The 2025 Wilmer-Hutchins High School shooting happened because a student let another student in through a side door. No AI gun detector fixes a propped-open door. Ensure your school prioritizes "active supervision"—adults actually watching the hallways and perimeter.
2. Focus on "Leakage"
In almost every 2025 incident, the shooter told someone or posted something online first. This is called "leakage." Teach kids that "snitching" is actually "reporting" when it comes to safety. Most schools now have anonymous tip lines; make sure they are actually monitored.
3. Check the "Transition" Security
Ask your school board about security during football games, graduation, and dismissal. Since a huge percentage of the number of school shootings in us 2025 happened outside the 8 AM to 3 PM window, your school’s safety plan needs to be 24/7, not just during class.
4. Support Threat Assessment, Not Just Drills
Drills are necessary, but they are reactive. Threat assessment is proactive. Ensure your school has a multidisciplinary team (police, counselors, admins) that meets regularly to discuss "at-risk" students before a crisis occurs.
2025 showed us that progress is possible. The numbers are moving in the right direction for the first time in a long time. But as long as the number isn't zero, the work isn't done.