Why Do Threats Spike After a School Shooting? Here’s What to Know

After the shooting at Apalachee High School in metro Atlanta last week, schools nationwide have closed due to threats, and dozens of students have been arrested. But what causes the uptick in school shooting threats after a mass shooting? According to Jaclyn Schildkraut, the executive director of the Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium at the Rockefeller Institute of Government, it’s not clear whether shooting threats actually increase or whether people are just more vigilant. But she said there are ways to reduce the likelihood of future attacks and threats.