School Shootings & Infrastructure. A Link?
Exploring the connection between school shootings and dismal infrastructure.
On March 30th, 2023, Homeland Security Today released a report exploring the link between mass casualty events at public schools and failing infrastructure.
The report — by vulnerability assessment expert Dr. Mitchell E. Simmons and an anonymous author within the Intelligence Community — focuses on the tendency for mass shooters to choose “soft” targets with vulnerable infrastructure (1).
The authors highlight the mass shootings in Uvalde, TX, and Nashville, TN, as examples.
In Uvalde, TX (May 2022), the gunman killed most of the 21 victims in Room 111, which had a faulty lock. Robb Elementary School reportedly suffered from inadequate lock systems and low-quality internet service.
Less than a year later (March 2023), the shooter in Nashville entered the Covenant School by breaching the glass-paneled doors. The authors state she likely targeted the school based on its security flaws.
As pundits and politicians turn national attention toward mental health and gun control, Dr. Simmons and “IC” warn how the nationwide deterioration of school infrastructure may play an overlooked role in these mass casualty events.
