The Secret Service, National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) was established over 20 years ago to better understand the reasons behind targeted violence activities. Since that time, NTAC has developed the program further into research, training, consultation, and information sharing on threat assessment data and the prevention of targeted violence, including targeted attacks directed at workplaces, houses of worship, schools, and other public spaces.

NTAC has recently published their report, “Mass Attacks in Public Spaces – 2018”, in order to provide analysis and operational guidance to public safety officials. I’m providing the link to this report further below, and will include just a few key take-aways from the report, as follows:

• The report provides analysis of 27 incidents of mass attacks during 2018 (where 3 or more people were harmed).
• In total, 91 people were killed and 107 were injured in locations where people should feel safe, such as schools, the workplace, and houses of worship.
• The vast majority of these attacks involved firearms, and were perpetrated by individuals who had exhibited behaviors in the past that elicited concern from individuals who knew them.
• Importantly, the majority of these individuals had also made threatening statements, either via social media or verbally.

While we can see similarities in the behavioral aspects of the attackers, the Secret Service has always resisted the notion that a particular person or types of persons can be “profiled.” The important lesson to public safety officials and the general public is the importance of reporting anomalous and/or concerning behavior to the appropriate authorities.

Please find the link below to the referenced report:

U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center Report: Mass Attacks in Public Spaces 2018