I found this little gem here (http://www.churchsecurityservices.com/blog.htm), and thought it was interesting enough to share.
Does this affect how any of the pistol packing churchgoers here view active shooter scenarios in church?
Profiling Church Shooters (2009)
I decided to update my church shooter's profile after this last shooting in Illinois. I have a 2008 version of this profile at CSSresources as an awareness resource for those registered at our free church security resource site. We will have this profile available there as well.
There have been 22 major church shootings since 1998 (as of March 2009). The average age of the shooter was 42.2 years.
Injuries- Average killed per incident 2.4
Average wounded per incident 2.0
Average congregants injured per incident 4.4
Types of Weapons used:
High powered rifles 3
.22 rifle 1
Shotguns 3
Handguns 14
Sword/knife* 2 * Multiple use
Resolution
Committed Suicide 8
Killed by Police/Security 2
Surrendered/captured 12
Motives
Unknown 6
Domestic/family issues 7
Revenge 2
Depression
/Mental issues 2
Hate Crime 5
Member/congregant was shooter 3
Had made prior threats 4
Occurred during services 15
The average profile for the shooter would be of someone who is in their late twenties or early fifties in age. He is not a congregant. He has not made a prior threat. He will attack during the church service. During the attack he will seriously injure or kill 4.4 congregants. He will use a handgun and be captured. He will have committed this attack because of family/domestic problems or for some unknown reason. Police will not be able to intervene until the shooter has already done his damage in 100% of the incidents..
Key points for churches -
If a church receives a threat it is imperative that all security steps possible are implemented (even to the point of canceling services). Police should be notified of the threat. Churches may be liable for these types of acts if they are “reasonably foreseeable “and no action is taken.
A church may be held accountable if incompetent security guards are hired.
Posted by Church Security Services Blog at 3/29/2009 8:52 PM
Does this affect how any of the pistol packing churchgoers here view active shooter scenarios in church?