6.95 Percent of U.S. Adults Have Been Present at Scene of Mass Shooting

Younger individuals and males more likely to report exposure to a mass shooting event

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, March 10, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Overall, 6.95 percent of U.S. adults report being present at the scene of a mass shooting, and 2.18 percent sustained physical injuries during these incidences, according to a study published online March 7 in JAMA Network Open.

David C. Pyrooz, Ph.D., from the University of Colorado Boulder, and colleagues estimated the prevalence of direct exposure to mass shootings among U.S. adults using a survey administered to 10,000 respondents designed to be representative of U.S. adults.

Of the respondents, 51.34 percent were female and 3.04, 12.46, 16.04, 62.78, and 5.67 percent were Asian, Black, Hispanic, White, and other race or ethnicity, respectively. The researchers found that 6.95 percent of respondents were present at the scene of a mass shooting; 2.18 percent sustained physical injuries during such incidences, including being shot or trampled. More than half (54.89 percent) of the mass shootings to which respondents were exposed occurred in 2015 or more recently; more than three-quarters (76.15 percent) occurred in respondents’ local communities. The likelihood of reporting exposure was higher for younger individuals (e.g., adjusted odds ratio, 0.12 for Baby Boomer and Silent generation versus Generation Z) and for males versus females (adjusted odds ratio, 1.55). Compared with White respondents, Black and Asian respondents reported higher and lower rates of being present at mass shootings, respectively (adjusted odds ratios, 1.87 and 0.36, respectively).

“Future research should further investigate how direct exposure to these incidents shapes individuals’ health and well-being, with particular attention to the broader community and the potential for systemic interventions that promote safety and resilience,” the authors write.