Number of mass shootings in Washington rose in 2016

There are many sources for gun violence data, and ways to dive into the numbers. But it seems that no matter the source, 2016 was an especially bad year in Washington state when considering mass shootings.

According to the Mass Shooting Tracker, a crowd-sourced accounting of mass shootings in America, there were 11 mass shootings in Washington state during 2016, including the Cascade Mall incident, as well as the Mukilteo tragedy. The 11 incidents account for 21 deaths, and 29 injured individuals.

The number for Washington from 2015 was two shootings; four died, and five were injured. In 2014, there were four shootings; seven died and 13 were injured. And in 2013, there were four mass shootings in Washington state; eight died and 13 were injured.

Contrasting that with two other Northwest states — Oregon and Idaho — Washington stands out. Oregon had three shootings in 2016; two in 2015; three in 2014; and none in 2013, according to the tracking website. In Idaho, there was one mass shooting in 2014.

There were 476 mass shootings nationally in 2016, an increase over past years, according to the Mass Shooting Tracker. In 2015, there were 371 mass shootings in the United States. And in 2014, there were 325. In 2013, the number was 339.

When considering other sources, even when they report lesser numbers, 2016 still stands out with a spike in mass shootings.

Mass Shootings

What is unique about the Mass Shooting Tracker is that it is crowd sourced, relying heavily on Reddit users. This means the website takes news stories of shootings and compiles them into an annual list. It is not a scientific account, rather a running number. And the tracker’s creators admit that while it is a crowd-sourced effort, many contributors are pro-gun control and therefore those users have a bias.

The Mass Shooting Tracker also goes beyond what many would consider “mass shootings.” Many in law enforcement — and media outlets — usually only count the dead to determine if a shooting should have the word “mass” placed in front of it. But the tracker takes into account the injured as well. For example, the shooting that shut down downtown Seattle in November and sent five to the hospital with injuries would not traditionally be considered a mass shooting — no one died. Even though the shooting was indiscriminate just like in other mass shooting cases, since victims were only injured it would not fall under the definition. A month before the Seattle shooting, an incident occurred not far away in Burlington at the Cascade Mall where five people died. That case has been labeled a mass shooting.

It’s why the tracker’s numbers are higher than other sources that count mass shootings.

The Seattle Times recently did its own count of Washington mass shootings, using the traditional definition, and found 20 in Washington state since 1983. Though, there were more incidents reported in 2016 than in any other year — eight.

Contrasting the Mass Shooting Tracker’s numbers with other sources, statistics for mass shootings seem to rise and fall together. The non-profit Gun Violence Archive reports 385 mass shootings in America during 2016; less than the tracker’s reported 476. The archive reports 333 mass shootings in 2015, the tracker reported 371. The archive recorded 275 incidents in 2014; the tracker had 325.

The Gun Violence Archive, however, reports a much different mass shooting figure specifically for Washington. The archive states there have been 12 mass shootings in the state from 2014 to present day. Most of those incidents, however, happened in 2016. Like the Times, the archive also states there were eight shootings in 2016.

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