Virginia's mass shootings dropped in 2023
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Virginia had seven mass shootings in 2023, the lowest number recorded since 2018.
Driving the news: Richmond Public Schools, following a court order, on Wednesday released the investigation findings into one of those mass shootings, which killed a Huguenot High School senior and his stepfather outside of graduation last June.
- Five additional people were shot.
- In November, the report was completed and presented to the School Board, which voted to bar its public release.
- Dissenting school board members have said it would provide "desperately needed" accountability into an epidemic of youth gun violence in the city.
By the numbers: In the last 10 years, Virginia has had 104 mass shootings that have — in total — injured at least 405 people and killed 110.
- 2022 was the deadliest year, with 36 individuals killed, followed by 2019, with 18 people killed.
Context: The Gun Violence Archive defines a mass shooting as a situation in which at least four people are shot and either injured or killed, not including the shooter.
Zoom out: Nationally, 656 mass shootings took place in 2023. Since 2014, the only year with more was 2021 when there were 689, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
- There were 712 mass shooting-related victims killed and 2,692 victims injured in 2023.