Five of the 50 incidents happened in Florida
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – The FBI has released its report on active shooter incidents in 2016 and 2017.
The bureau designated 50 incidents that happened in the two years. Five of them happened in Florida, including the second deadliest incident – the Pulse nightclub shooting.
According to the FBI, the report “does not encompass all gun-related situations. Rather, it focuses on a specific type of shooting situation.” The report defines an active shooter as “one or more individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area.” Gang-related shootings and drug-related shootings are not included in the report.
According to the report, the 50 incidents happened in 21 states. That’s compared to 2014-2015, where there were 40 incidents in 26 states.
Texas had the highest number of incidents – six. Florida and California each saw five incidents.
A total of 221 people were killed and 722 were injured in the 50 incidents. Twenty of the incidents met the definition of “mass killing,” which means there were three or more deaths in a single incident.
“Casualty numbers were dramatically higher due to three incidents: the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada; the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida; and the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas,” the report states.
Thirteen law enforcement officers were killed in incidents this year and 20 were wounded. Fourteen of the incidents ended with gunfire being exchanged between the shooters and police.
The FBI says all of the incidents involved a single shooter. All 50 shooters were men who ranged in age from 14 to 66. Three of them wore body armor.
The report states thirteen of the shooters committed suicide, 11 were killed by police and 18 shooters were taken into custody.
According to the report, unarmed and armed citizens confronted the shooter in 10 incidents and were able to stop the shooter in 8 of the incidents.
“They safely and successfully ended the shootings in 8 of those incidents,” the report says. “Their selfless actions likely saved many lives.”
The report concluded that “the enhanced threat posed by active shooters and the swiftness with which active shooter incidents unfold support the importance of preparation by law enforcement officers and citizens alike.”
FBI Tampa tweeted the report Friday with a reminder for the public to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity to police.
