The FBI does not define mass shootings but considers mass killings as incidents with three or more deaths.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Following the recent shooting at a party in Hickory, North Carolina, that killed one person and injured 11 more, some WCNC Charlotte viewers reached out asking what defines a mass shooting.
According to Congress’ website, there is no single, widely accepted definition of a mass shooting. Instead, there is a group of numerous definitions.
So, let’s break them down.
OUR SOURCES:
WHAT WE FOUND:
The FBI defines active shooter incidents and mass killings but not mass shootings.
A mass killing is defined by the FBI as an incident where three or more people are killed in a single incident.
Meanwhile, Gun Violence Archive, a website that has collected data on gun violence since 2013, defines a mass shooting as four or more people who have been shot or killed, not including the shooter.
RELATED: Charlotte mom’s plea to light skyline orange for gun violence awareness grows louder after being told no by Wells Fargo’s Lighting Program
Looking at GVA’s data, so far in 2025, there have been four mass shootings in North Carolina under that definition.
Over the course of all of 2024, there were 15 in the Tar Heel State. Meanwhile, in 2023, the state saw 33, which is the highest amount in the past five years.
RELATED: Breaking down data on mass shootings
Contact Meghan Bragg at [email protected] and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts that impact you from WCNC Charlotte, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app and enable push notifications.
