Understanding Different Forms of Gun Violence in American Schools: An Analysis from 1980 to 2019.

This study examines contextual factors associated with six types of school gun violence incidents—accidental, school-related conflict, intimate and familial conflict, criminal activity, suicide, and indiscriminate shootings—in U.S. K–12 schools from 1980 to 2019, using data from the comprehensive K–12 School Shooting Database linked with school, community, and state-level information. Findings indicate that school-related conflicts are the most common cause of school gun violence, particularly in high schools, while criminal activity–related incidents are more prevalent in urban and suburban areas. Conversely, suicides and indiscriminate shootings are more likely in rural schools and areas with lower poverty rates. The study suggests that prevention strategies should be tailored to specific school contexts, with social workers and mental health professionals playing a critical role in addressing relational conflicts and coordinating communication among families and school personnel.