Comparing Mass Shootings in the CEE Regions with the United States

Abstract

This chapter analyzes 45 of the deadliest mass shootings that arose in central and eastern European (CEE) countries and compares them with 45 from the commonly studied context of the United States. Results reveal that US mass shootings have resulted in twice as many fatalities and six times as many injuries. There have been no female offenders in CEE countries, and mental illness has been less prevalent in CEE offenders. Similarly, ideologically motivated mass shootings are less common in CEE countries as are shootings that are motivated by an offender’s grievance against a social group. In terms of shooting locations and shooting types, school and higher educational shootings are much more common in the United States than in CEE states, and on average, more shootings have occurred in offenders’ localities and neighborhoods than in the United States. In contrast, several similarities can be observed with both United States and CEE mass shooters being 34 years old on average. Both sets of offenders also had experiences with five stages of Cumulative Strain Theory (acute strain, uncontrolled strain, chronic strain, planning stage, event stage) to nearly the same exact extent. The percentage of workplace shootings is nearly identical in both contexts as are shootings that were aimed at government institutions.