Fact-Checking 5 Myths About The Perpetrators Of Mass Shootings

Last year was the deadliest year on record for public mass shootings in American history. More than 100 people were killed in 30 incidents in the U.S. in 2017, according to the FBI.

In the wake of these incidents, we often hear “no one could have seen this coming,” or “this person just snapped.” But what do we know about the perpetrators of mass shootings?

The FBI recently released a report on the behavior of “active shooters,” which the Bureau defines as “an individual (or individuals) actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area.”