A deeper look at mass killings in the United States
Since 2006, there have been more than 200 mass killings in the United States.
Well-known images from Newtown, Aurora and Virginia Tech capture the nation’s attention, but similar bloody scenes happen with alarming frequency and much less scrutiny.
USA TODAY examined FBI data — which defines a mass killing as four or more victims — as well as local police records and media reports to understand mass killings in America. They happen far more often than the government reports, and the circumstances of those killings — the people who commit them, the weapons they use and the forces that motivate them — are far more predictable than many might think.
Police surround the Grand Theatre following a deadly shooting Thursday, July 23, 2015, in Lafayette, La. (Brad Kemp/The Advocate via AP)