Beyond Bullets: Perceived Safety and Weapon Carrying in High School Students Following Mass Shootings by Race/Ethnicity, Sex, and Age

This study examines whether exposure to mass shooting events is associated with changes in high school students' perceptions of safety and weapon-carrying behaviors with a focus on differences by race/ethnicity, sex, and age. We used individual-level data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) and state-level data from the Gun Violence Archive (GVA), applying a generalized difference-in-differences analysis. We find increased weapon carrying and feelings of unsafety among high school students following such events. Notably, among several demographic differences, Black and Hispanic students are more likely to carry weapons, though Hispanic students report reduced carrying at school. These findings highlight the need for targeted, demographic-specific interventions to improve school safety and student well-being.