What is true about trends in school shootings?

• A. There has been an overall increase
• B. There has been no overall increase
• C. All school-age homicide deaths occur at school
• D. 1,186 school-aged homicide deaths occurred at school

Answer: (B)

Understanding how school shootings trend over time requires looking at long-term data on school‑based homicides. The best answer reflects that there has not been a steady overall increase in such incidents. Counts fluctuate from year to year, and spikes often grab attention, but the overall pattern does not show a consistent upward trajectory across decades. This is why the statement about no overall increase best fits the data: it captures the variability in yearly numbers without implying a persistent rise.

It’s also worth noting why the other ideas aren’t supported. Not all school-age homicide deaths occur at school—many happen outside school settings—so claiming that every such death takes place at school isn’t accurate. And a precise figure like 1,186 deaths at school doesn’t align with the historical record for school-based homicide counts, which are far smaller when you consider the broader context of school-age homicides overall.