Texas saw more active shooter incidents than any other state in 2024, according to a new report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The annual FBI report found that four active shooter incidents occurred in Texas last year — more than any other state. The shootings left 11 people either dead or wounded. California and North Carolina followed with two incidents each.
Overall, the FBI recorded 24 active shooter incidents nationwide in 2024.
One of the most high-profile cases in Texas happened in February of last year, when a woman opened fire during a Sunday service at Houston's Lakewood Church. She brought along her 7-year-old son, who was among the two people wounded before she was ultimately shot and killed by off-duty law officers. Another shooting happened in May, when an 18-year-old fatally shot a worker outside Refresco Beverages in Fort Worth. He was arrested the next day.
The FBI report also found that the number of active shooter incidents nationwide dropped by 50% in 2024 from the year before. While that may sound like good news, the report notes that, over the long term, the trend is rising. Incidents have increased by 70% since 2020 compared to the previous five-year period.
Texas stands out in that trend. From 2020 to 2024, the state reported 22 active shooter incidents — second only to California, which had 25.
In total, the FBI found that active shootings over the past five years have killed 369 people and wounded 701 across the U.S.
It's important to note that active shooter incidents aren't the same as mass shootings. The FBI defines an active shooter as someone trying to kill people in a populated area, typically with a firearm, regardless of the number of victims. Despite leading the nation in incidents, Texas did not see the year's highest death toll. That distinction went to Arkansas, where a single shooting at a supermarket in June 2024 left four people dead and 10 injured.
"Civilians should understand the risks associated with an active shooter attack and utilize available resources to prepare for, prevent, and survive such incidents," the report read.
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