In the weeks following the attempted assassination of President Trump on July 13, 2024, the available evidence suggests the perpetrator’s behaviors were similar to mass shooters, more so than the expected behaviors of a political assassin. This highlights the importance of understanding the normalization of and valorization of mass violence online.

Today, Moonshot and Everytown for Gun Safety release a new report offering critical new evidence on how mass shootings are explored, discussed and valorized online. Our findings:

1. An ecosystem amplifying mass shootings is thriving online. Over an eight month period last year, people discussed or sought information about 167 unique mass shootings, which occurred in 11 different countries across an 80-year period. These ranged from well-publicized shootings like the Columbine shooting to more niche attacks.
2. A large portion of this ecosystem believes past perpetrators are heroes. This is worrying because those that go on to perpetrate mass violence have often valorized previous killers.
3. Prevention has to move beyond how well we barricade the doors, and address the underlying drivers of violence. The internet offers underexplored avenues for violence prevention. The perpetrator of the attempted assassination of President Trump sought help for his mental health online. The perpetrator of the Parkland high school shooting searched on Google and YouTube for help with homicidal thoughts and relationship advice in the days and months before his attack. Policy makers should explore proactive interventions to offer would-be shooters critical support at an earlier stage, especially online.

There were almost two mass shootings a day in the US in 2023 – the highest rate on record. This report offers critical evidence to inform prevention efforts across the country, and ultimately reduce the risk of violence related to mass shootings.