Mass Shooting Contagion

Mass shooting contagion theory is the studied nature and effect of media coverage of mass shootings and its potential to increase mimicked events. Academic study of the theory has grown in recent years given the frequency with which rampage shooters reference previous shooters as inspiration and the acquisition of fame through violence, particularly in the United States; the Columbine High School massacre is cited as the first shooting to receive nationwide twenty-four hour publicity, giving both shooters near-instant widespread infamy, and researchers often point to it as a source of inspiration for would-be copycat mass shooters.