Capital Punishment for the “Worst of the Worst” Homicide Offenders: An Examination of Death Sentences for Mass Shooters, 1980–2020

This study investigates death sentences for mass shooters in the United States (1980–2020), examining the rate of mass shooters sentenced to death; differences in death penalty–eligible mass shooter outcomes based on offender, victim, and incident characteristics; and geographic (state-level) areas where mass shooters are sentenced to death. Findings show nearly one-third of all death penalty–eligible mass shooters were sentenced to death. However, the percentage of mass shooters who received death sentences decreased substantially after the turn of the century: from 39% (1980–1999) to 22% (2000–2020). Consistently significant predictors of a death sentence include a history of offender violence, victims under age 12, public locations, and incidents occurring in the South. Two-thirds of death sentences stem from mass shootings in just eight states. This work advances knowledge of death sentencing practices in America and provides an empirical foundation for policy discussions concerning the administration of capital punishment in mass shooting cases.