How many mass shootings were there in Florida in 2023? State's total down slightly
The United States saw its second-highest total of mass shootings in 2023 with 656, according to the non-profit research group Gun Violence Archive (GVA).
That's over the 647 reported in the U.S. in 2022, but behind 2021, the country's bloodiest year since the nonprofit started recording them, when there were 690 reported.
Florida mass shootings were down slightly, with 30 reported in 2023 compared to 31 each year in both 2022 and 2021 and 35 in 2020. During the year, 134 people were injured and 38 were killed.
"'2023 has shown an 8-10% overall DECREASE in deaths and injuries from gun violence," the GVA said. "Some cities are seeing 20%+ decreases."
At least 20 mass shootings nationwide were recorded just over the Memorial Day weekend, and seven over the July 4th weekend.
Violent January in Florida
Florida's 2023 started out violent with seven attacks in January alone. By the end of February, Florida was accounting for nearly 12% of all mass shootings in the country.
But a surge around the U.S. — especially in Texas, which also has the most lenient gun laws in the nation — brought Florida's average down to 4.57% of all mass shootings in the U.S. by year's end. A shooting near a grocery store in Gainesville on Dec. 30 that left four people injured was the last mass shooting of the year for the Sunshine State, the GVA said.
As of July 1, 2023, it became legal to carry a concealed weapon in Florida without a license for anyone allowed to legally possess a firearm. Concealed licenses are still an option in Florida, but require mandatory background checks and weapon training.
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How many mass shootings in 2023 have happened in Florida?
There were 30 mass shootings in Florida in 2023, injuring 134 people and killing 38. The GVA lists 31 mass shootings in Florida for both 2022 and 2021. Our record may be 34, reported in 2020, up from 15 the year before.
Jan. 1, Miami Gardens: Nine people were shot or grazed in a shooting at a New Year's Eve party. A 2-year-old was hit in the foot and a boy was shot in the knee, according to NBC6.
Jan. 1, Ocala: Two men were killed and four others were injured in a shooting early New Year's Day in a large gathering of people in Ocala, police reported.
Jan. 5, Miami Gardens: As many as 10 people were wounded in a shooting outside The Licking, a soul food restaurant.
Jan. 15, Homestead: Four people in their 20s were shot in Homestead, according to Miami-Dade police. One man, 24, died from his injuries.
Jan. 16, Fort Pierce: Eight people were shot during an MLK Day celebration at a Fort Pierce park. One victim died the next morning.
Jan. 16, Sanford: A 31-year-old woman was killed and five others were injured in a transport van.
Jan. 30, Lakeland: Eleven people were shot, leaving two of them in critical condition in a drive-by shooting in Lakeland's midtown.
Feb. 22, Orlando: A gunman opened fire on a TV news crew reporting on a fatal shooting earlier in the day, before walking to a nearby home and shooting a woman and her daughter.
Feb. 26, Pompano Beach: Two people were killed and three were injured at a shooting outside a convenience store, according to CBS News.
March 1, Cocoa: A man shot and killed four people, including his 15-year-old daughter, police officials reported.
March 5, Lake City: Four people were shot and left with serious injuries, according to News4Jax.
March 10, Hialeah: A man started a fire in his apartment and fatally shot six people in his apartment building, police reported.
April 9, Orlando: Three people, including two children, were shot and killed in a domestic violence incident, WKMG-TV reported.
May 2, Lake Wales: A Lake Wales teacher and her three children were killed by her boyfriend.
May 29, Hollywood: Nine people were injured along a beach boardwalk after a shooting between two groups. A 1-year-old was reported to have been shot.
June 4, Pensacola: A man reportedly walked into a gathering of 50 to 100 people and opened fire. One person was killed, four injured.
June 24, Orlando: A man opened fire at a gathering at a banquet hall near Pine Hills. One man died at the scene, one later, and two were injured.
July 5, Fort Lauderdale: Fox35 reported that a shooting at an apartment complex left two juveniles and three adults injured.
July 15, Fort Lauderdale: A driveby shooting past a home left one person killed, three injured.
July 22, Daytona Beach: A woman fired two shots during a fight near the Razzles nightclub, injuring four people.
July 23, Tampa: Five people were shot at a party and left with non-life-threatening injuries, deputies said.
July 28, Fort Lauderdale: Four people were injured during a shooting during an altercation that a witness said started with a game of dominoes.
July 28, Tampa: Four men showed up at a hospital as police found an abandoned car with pools of blood in and around it. One man died of his wounds.
Aug. 25, Tallahassee: After a fight broke out at a party, two men opened fire, injuring four people: a man, two women and a teenager.
Sept. 11, Palm Bay: Four teens were shot and wounded at an apartment complex.
Sept. 23, Jacksonville: A dispute erupted into violence when shots were fired at a group of five people. A three-year-old child and two men, 23 and 24 years old, were killed and another person was injured.
Sept. 25, Jacksonville: A shootout between at least two people left six people injured.
Oct. 23, Tampa: At least two people opened fire in a crowded area in Ybor City, killing two people and injuring 15.
Dec. 24, Orlando (Lockhart): A 25-year-old woman and a 21-year-old man were killed and three other men injured in a Christmas Eve shooting that investigators believe was targeted.
Dec. 30, Gainesville: A shooting near the Rose Food Store left four people injured.
What is considered a mass shooting?
There isn't a firm definition. The GVA (and the Congressional Research Service) defines a mass shooting only on the number of people shot in an incident: four or more, not including the shooter.
The FBI does not define "mass shooting." They define "mass killing" or "mass murder" as an incident in which four or more victims are killed by any intentional means, which can include gun violence.
There may be a distinction made between private and public mass shootings, and mass shootings committed by foreign terrorists are not included no matter where the shooting occurs or how many people are killed.
The GVA numbers may differ from the FBI or CDC as they collect their data from 7,500 law enforcement, government and media sources. The CDC uses death certificates for gun deaths, according to the GVA, and they and the FBI rely on a sampling of courses and then extrapolate the numbers to get estimated totals. Incidents that cannot be verified are not included.
USA TODAY defines a mass shooting as an incident where at least four people are hit with gunfire, even if there are no fatalities. Mass killing refers is an incident in which at least four people are killed.
Which states had the most mass shootings in 2023?
Florida is in the top 10, but we're not at the top. According to GVA records for 2023, the top states for reported mass shootings are:
Texas: 65
Illinois: 51
California: 50
Pennsylvania: 35
Ohio: 33
North Carolina: 33
Lousiana: 31
Florida: 30
Mississippi, and Georgia: 25 each
How many people died from gun violence in 2023?
According to GVA, 42,926 people have died from gun violence in the United States in 2023. Of those, 18,836 were classified as homicide, murder or defensive gun use (DGU). The other 24,090 were ruled to be suicides.
Gun violence took the lives of 297 children nationwide, with 642 more injured, the GVA said. 1,383 teenagers aged 12-17 have died, and 3,863 injured. Fifty law enforcement officers have been killed, 368 injured, and law enforcement has killed 1,442 people and injured 809 more in officer-involved incidents, the GVA said.
Unintentional shootings accounted for 1,569 more deaths, the GVA said, and 1,184 people were killed by someone defending themselves. There were 674 deaths ruled murder-suicides.
How many mass shootings did the U.S. have in 2022?
According to the GVA, there were 648 mass shootings in the United States last year:
44,299 people overall (including 314 children and 1,361 teens) died from firearms, the GVA said, with 20,209 dead of homicide, murder or defensive gun use (DGU).
24,090 gun-related deaths were ruled suicides.
38,552 people were injured.
How many mass shootings happened in Florida in 2022?
The GVA lists 31 mass shootings in Florida in 2022.
Jan. 18, Miami: 1 killed, 4 injured
Jan. 30, Winter Haven: 1 killed, 4 injured
Feb. 6, Fort Lauderdale: 4 injured
Feb. 16, Miami: 1 killed, 3 injured
Mar. 8, Jacksonville: 1 killed, 4 injured
Mar. 17: Fort Lauderdale: 2 killed, 2 injured
Apr. 9, Miami: 4 injured
Apr. 17, Miami: 1 killed, 3 injured
May 1, Tarpon Springs: 6 injured
May 7, Miami: 4 injured
May 20, Kissimmee: 1 killed, 3 injured
May 28, Malabar: 4 injured
June 18, Pensacola: 5 injured
June 19, Miami: 5 injured
July 6, Tampa: 4 injured
July 29, Miami: 4 injured
July 31, Orlando: 7 injured
Aug. 2, Orlando: 5 killed
Aug. 3, Miami: 5 injured
Sep. 4, Lauderdale Lakes: 4 injured
Sep. 14, Miami: 5 injured
Sep. 27, Jacksonville: 4 injured
Oct. 9, Tampa: 1 killed, 6 injured
Oct. 9, Miami: 1 killed, 3 injured
Oct. 29, Tallahassee: 1 killed, 9 injured
Oct. 29, Orlando: 6 injured
Nov. 4, Orlando: 4 killed, 2 injured
Nov. 6, Gainesville: 4 injured
Nov. 22, West Palm Beach: 2 killed, 2 injured
Nov. 27, Tallahassee: 1 killed, 4 injured
Dec. 19, Lake City: 5 injured
Contributor: Wyatte Grantham-Philips, USA TODAY
C. A. Bridges is a Digital Producer for the USA TODAY Network, working with multiple newsrooms across Florida. Local journalists work hard to keep you informed about the things you care about, and you can support them by subscribing to your local news organization. Read more articles by Chris here and follow him on Twitter at @cabridges
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Florida mass shootings in 2023 down from previous years, GVA says
