Steady increase in U.S. hospital-based shootings over last 25 years

A new Jama Network Open study detailed the alarming increase in hospital-based shootings over the last 25 years, with more than twice as many events reported in the last 10 years than the decade prior.

The researchers conducted a comprehensive review of hospital-based shooting trends in the United States between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2024, comparing their findings to 2000-2011 data from a similar study. To qualify as a “hospital-based shooting” for this review, incidents had to involve at least one injured person and occur within or on the immediate property of an acute care hospital.

Six hospital-based shootings occurred in 2000 and 34 occurred in 2024, a 6.4% increase per year, according to the study. When looking at recent data, the researchers found a concerning trend. Between 2012 and 2024, the number of annual shootings grew from 14 to 34, an 8.4% increase. Further, they revealed that 327 incidents were reported in this timeframe, more than double the 154 incidents reported from 2000 to 2011.

The most common locations for incidents between 2012 and 2024 were parking lots or outdoor sites (45.6%), hospital floors (18.0%), and emergency departments (17.7%), according to the study. Hospital-based shootings were reported in 47 states during this timeframe, and they most commonly occurred in the South and urban areas. However, West Virginia, Montana, and Mississippi had the highest number of shootings per capita. Large hospitals accounted for the highest rate of shootings, with roughly 258 events per 1,000 facilities.

The researchers determined that over 32% of the shootings reported between 2012 and 2024 were potentially preventable by weapons screening technology.

“Hospitals equipped with this technology have been shown to confiscate weapons at five times the rate of those without, while increasing reported perception of safety among patients and employees,” they added.