Fact check: How many mass school shooters were transgender

1. Summary of the results

The analyses provided suggest that transgender people are not disproportionately represented in mass shootings ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}. According to the Violence Prevention Project at Hamline University, males were the perpetrators in 98% of the shootings, female shooters accounted for 2% of the attacks, and transgender people accounted for less than 1% ^[1]. The U.S. Secret Service National Threat Association Center also found that from 2016 to 2020, the attackers' backgrounds were 96% men, 3% women, and 2% transgender ^[2]. The Violence Project records data on mass shootings and states that less than 1 percent of mass shootings have been committed by transgender individuals ^[3]. There have been only a few instances of mass shootings perpetrated by transgender Americans in the last 10 years ^[5].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Some analyses mention that there is a lack of direct evidence to support or refute the claim about transgender people and mass shootings ^[6]. The article by Charlie Kirk does not provide any further information or context about the exchange regarding transgender mass shooters ^[6]. The source ^[7] provides more information about the Minneapolis shooter, Robin Westman, and his struggles with gender dysphoria, but does not provide a comprehensive overview of the number of mass school shooters who are transgender ^[7]. The Gun Violence Archive suggests about 5,000 mass shootings have occurred since 2015, but does not provide a specific number of those perpetrated by transgender individuals ^[8]. An investigation into online claims about a link between transgender people and mass shootings is being looked into by the FOX54 Verify team, but no conclusions have been drawn ^[9].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement may be misleading or biased as it implies a disproportionate representation of transgender people in mass school shootings, which is not supported by the analyses ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}. The claim that there are many mass school shooters who are transgender is not supported by the data, which suggests that transgender individuals are extremely rare among mass shooters ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}. This framing may benefit those who seek to stigmatize or discriminate against transgender people by perpetuating a false narrative about their involvement in mass shootings ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}. On the other hand, the correct information may benefit transgender advocacy groups and organizations promoting gun safety and violence prevention by providing a more accurate understanding of the issue and promoting evidence-based policies ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}.