Alan Nigena’s Case Study on Robb Elementary Shooting

In this case study, Alan Nigena evaluated the Robb Elementary shooting on May 24, 2022. The author presented the facts of the tragedy: how the gunman purchased the weapon, his intent revealed on social media, and how he gained entry to the school.

Nigena emphasized the need for a standard definition of a mass shooting. It was pointed out that due to pressure from the NRA, research on mass shootings was blocked at the congressional level. Trends and patterns of shootings have started to emerge, such as several demographic characteristics shared among mass shooters: male, non-Hispanic white, under the age of 45, and experiences of domestic violence.

Shootings tend to happen after school holidays or breaks, in the mornings, with advanced planning and revelation on social media, primarily targeting elementary schools in the parking lot. More recently, infamy and attention produced by media coverage of shootings have been significant motivators. The student offers some solutions to this issue; first and foremost, gun violence should take on the label of being a public health issue in order to get immediate attention.