A 2015 study by the RAND Corporation found that there was a significant increase in the number of mass shootings in the United States following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012. The study found that there were an average of 1.4 mass shootings per year in the United States in the five years before Sandy Hook, but an average of 6.4 mass shootings per year in the five years after Sandy Hook.
However, a 2017 study by the Center for American Progress found no evidence that mass shootings lead to an increase in shootings overall. The study found that the number of gun homicides in the United States actually declined in the years following the Sandy Hook shooting.
The differing findings of these studies may be due to a number of factors, including the different time periods studied, the different definitions of mass shootings used, and the different methods used to analyze the data.
Overall, the research on the relationship between mass shootings and subsequent shootings is mixed. More research is needed to determine whether or not there is a causal relationship between these two events.
It is important to note that mass shootings are a complex issue, and there is no single factor that can explain why they occur. Many factors contribute to mass shootings, including mental health issues, access to guns, and a culture of violence.
