Orlando Terror Attack

The Crime Prevention Research Center (CPRC) has periodically conducted research on mass shootings to see where the United States falls in terms of these massacres. In a newly-released report, CPRC has concluded that:

  • All but one of the 20 worst mass public shootings took place outside of the United States
  • 45 of the 50 worst mass public shooting took place outside of the United States

Although the CPRC has fairly comprehensive data, it is still possible that smaller-scale attacks have occurred in Africa or Southern Asia where it is reported far less than the United States and Europe.

Our list of the worst mass public shootings collected cases where at least 15 were killed has been updated through January 15, 2017.  Since 1970, all of the 20 worst mass public shootings occurred outside the US.  Muslims also committed 18 of the worst 20 mass public shootings in the world.  All 20 of the worst mass public shootings occurred outside the US, and that was also true for 40 of the worst 44.  It is possible that we are still missing even some of these large mass public shootings prior to 2000, but any of the ones being missed are outside of the US, Canada, the Commonwealth countries, and Europe.

Source: Crime Prevention Research Center
Source: Crime Prevention Research Center


The top five worst mass shootings, in order, are as follows:

1) Gamboru and Ngala in Borno State, Nigeria, May 5 and 6, 2014: Boko Haram Islamic militants killed more than 300 residents.

2) Borno massacre, in Konduga, Borno State, on May 7, 2014: Boko Haram Islamic militants killed at least 200 Christian villagers. Several others were injured.

3) Peshawar, Pakistan, December 16, 2014: A public school attack by seven gunmen affiliated with the Tehrik-i-Taliban (TTP or the “Pakistani Taliban”), an Islamic group, killing 148 and wounding 114 more.

4) University College Campus of Garissa, in northeastern Kenya, April 2, 2015:  Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda offshoot, took responsibility for the attack where 147 people were killed.

5) Paris, France, November 14, 2015Three teams of extremists carried out the coordinated gun-and-suicide bombing attacks across Paris that left 130 people dead and 352 injured, a French prosecutor said Saturday.  ISIS attack.

The American mass shootings that took place in America were:

  • 16) The Orlando Pulse Nightclub shooting: 49 were killed and 53 were injured.
  • 28) Virginia Tech shooting: 32 were killed and 17 were injured.
  • 34) Sandy Hook Elementary shooting: 27 were killed and 2 were injured.
  • 35) Luby’s shooting: 23 were killed and 27 were injured.
  • 37) San Ysidro McDonald’s shooting: 21 were killed and 19 were injured.

Although gun control advocates love to run the narrative that America is plagued with the worst mass shooting in the world, studies like this one by the CPRC prove otherwise. If anything, studies like this prove that law-abiding gun owners can make a difference.

This story was updated to consistently reflect the numbers provided by the CRPC report. Any assailant who was killed or injured are not reflected in the numbers above.