Known to the system? Criminal history, pre-attack behaviors, and firearms acquisition among mass public shooters with documented warning behaviors
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22412561 |
|---|---|
| Authors | M Hunter Martaindale (0000-0002-8100-7698, United States Department of Justice, corresponding author), Emily A Greene-Colozzi (University of Massachusetts Lowell), Jaclyn Schildkraut (0000-0001-5130-8994, Rockefeller University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 105 |
| Pages | 102700 |
| Publication date | 2026-07-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Criminal Justice (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0047-2352 • E-ISSN: 1873-6203 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2026.102700 |
| OpenAlex | W7168538688 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 17 |
Prior research has documented that many mass public shooters have prior contact with the criminal justice system and exhibit observable pre-attack warning behaviors, but these patterns are typically reported in aggregate. Using a dataset of 171 mass public shooting incidents in the United States (1999–2024) involving 175 perpetrators with documented pre-attack warning behaviors (e.g., leakage of intent), the present study examines whether perpetrators with and without criminal records differ in demographic characteristics, pre-attack behavioral indicators, and firearm acquisition patterns. Among the 100 perpetrators with known criminal history status, those with criminal records were significantly older and exhibited fewer documented concerning behaviors, with a similar pattern for grievances. Perpetrators without criminal records more frequently obtained firearms through federally licensed dealers, though this difference did not reach conventional significance. These findings suggest that variation in criminal justice contact corresponds to differences in how perpetrators are visible prior to their attacks, with implications for prevention and intervention. Background checks may be more applicable to individuals with disqualifying histories, whereas behavioral indicators may be more informative for those without prior system contact, though neither approach alone fully addresses both.
Criminal history · Criminal justice · Economic Justice · Injury prevention · Poison control · Suicide prevention · Crime Patterns and Interventions · Gun Ownership and Violence Research · Human Factors and Ergonomics · Stalking, Cyberstalking, and Harassment
Removing Firearms From Those Prohibited From Possession by Domestic Violence Restraining Orders
Potential to prevent mass shootings through domestic violence firearm restrictions
Patterns and prevalence of lethal mass violence
Statistical Inference for Apparent Populations
Mass Shootings in the United States
Age and the Explanation of Crime
| Highly cited | No |
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