The impact of coronavirus can be seen on many aspects of our life. Especially when looking at the deaths caused by school shootings in the United States. In March of 2020, the government required that schools must shut down and take on a remote learning style education. This led to stricter guidelines including who has access to school buildings and during what times they can gain access to it. James Fox a criminologist at Northeastern University states, “The thing about mass shooters is they tend to be people who feel that they are the victims of injustice. Well, lots of people now are suffering, not just them”. He believes that the fact that the whole word is facing a time of struggle makes it so we all feel closer together and less isolated with our social standings. According to CBS News, March of 2020 was the first March since 2002 where no school shootings took place in the United States. 

Since 2018 there have been a total of 59 school shootings with only ten of those shootings taking place during 2020. According to Edweek.org, we have only seen two shootings so far this year, one occurring in Arkansas and the other in Louisiana. Both of these shootings were not considered a mass school shooting as only one individual was killed in each of these shootings. On February 27th, a 35 year old man from Louisiana shot and killed a high school police officer, and on March 1st, a 15 year old boy shot and killed one of his classmates. Both men have been arrested and are now facing charges for the murders of these individuals. 

Looking into past years and death rates caused by school shootings, it can be seen that 2020 has slowed down the number of school shootings. April 20th,1999 marks the day of the Columbine High school Shooting that left 14 students and one staff member dead. Since the Columbine shooting there have been 237 reported school shootings in the United States alone. These shootings have resulted in the deaths and injuries of 403 people. This means that an average of 20 people were killed each year in school shootings. Only two of these deaths were caused in 2020 showing a significant drop of deaths caused by school shootings since 1999. 

However there were many more shootings within schools and college campuses  that have not been reported as school shootings. There are many factors that play a part in whether or not a shooting on school campuses falls under the category of a school or mass shooting. The Center for Homeland Defense and Security reported 730 firearm related situations within a school environment that killed 1025 people over the past 20 years. 25 school shootings took place in 2018 setting a new record of shootings to take place in a single year followed by 2019 with 24 shootings. 2020 broke up the line of shootings with only 2 school shootings to be reported that year.