List of school shootings in the United States (before 2000)
Updated: 5/20/2026, 8:04:13 PM Wikipedia source
This chronological list of school gun incidents and mass shootings in the United States before the year 2000 includes any school shootings that occurred at a K-12 public or private school, as well as colleges and universities, and on school buses. Excluded from this list are the following:
Incidents that occurred during wars Incidents that occurred as a result of police actions Murder-suicides by rejected suitors or estranged spouses Suicides or suicide attempts involving only one person. Shooting by school staff, where the only victims are other employees, are covered at workplace killings. This list does not include the 1970 Kent State shootings, or bombings.
Tables
· 19th century › 1840s
1840
1840
Date
1840
November 12, 1840
November 12, 1840
Date
November 12, 1840
Location
Charlottesville, Virginia
Deaths
1
Injuries
0
Total
1
Description
John Anthony Gardner Davis, a law professor at the University of Virginia, was shot by student Joseph Semmes and died three days later.
| Date | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Total | Description |
| 1840 | |||||
| November 12, 1840 | Charlottesville, Virginia | 1 | 0 | 1 | John Anthony Gardner Davis, a law professor at the University of Virginia, was shot by student Joseph Semmes and died three days later. |
· 19th century › 1850s
1853
1853
Date
1853
November 2, 1853
November 2, 1853
Date
November 2, 1853
Location
Louisville, Kentucky
Deaths
1
Injuries
0
Total
1
Description
Murder of William Butler: Student Mathews Flounoy Ward shot schoolmaster William H . Butler as revenge for what he perceived as unfair punishment of his brother the day before. Butler died and Ward was acquitted.
1856
1856
Date
1856
August 16, 1856
August 16, 1856
Date
August 16, 1856
Location
Florence, Alabama
Deaths
2
Injuries
0
Total
2
Description
The schoolmaster warned students not to harm his tame sparrow, threatening death. One of the boys stepped on the bird and killed it. When the boy returned to school, the master took the boy into a private room and strangled him. Upon hearing what happened, the boy's father went to the school and shot the schoolmaster dead.
1858
1858
Date
1858
July 8, 1858
July 8, 1858
Date
July 8, 1858
Location
Baltimore, Maryland
Deaths
1
Injuries
0
Total
1
Description
The 15-year-old son of Col. John T. Farlow (Baltimore's Marshal of Police 1867–70) was killed during a Sabbath School gathering. The perpetrator escaped, but several arrests were made.
| Date | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Total | Description |
| 1853 | |||||
| November 2, 1853 | Louisville, Kentucky | 1 | 0 | 1 | Murder of William Butler: Student Mathews Flounoy Ward shot schoolmaster William H . Butler as revenge for what he perceived as unfair punishment of his brother the day before. Butler died and Ward was acquitted. |
| 1856 | |||||
| August 16, 1856 | Florence, Alabama | 2 | 0 | 2 | The schoolmaster warned students not to harm his tame sparrow, threatening death. One of the boys stepped on the bird and killed it. When the boy returned to school, the master took the boy into a private room and strangled him. Upon hearing what happened, the boy's father went to the school and shot the schoolmaster dead. |
| 1858 | |||||
| July 8, 1858 | Baltimore, Maryland | 1 | 0 | 1 | The 15-year-old son of Col. John T. Farlow (Baltimore's Marshal of Police 1867–70) was killed during a Sabbath School gathering. The perpetrator escaped, but several arrests were made. |
· 19th century › 1860s
1860
1860
Date
1860
January 21, 1860
January 21, 1860
Date
January 21, 1860
Location
Todd County, Kentucky
Deaths
1
Injuries
0
Total
1
Description
A son of Col. Elijah Sebree was killed by another student. He had been led to believe that Young Sebree was threatening him; the latter student got a gun and fatally shot Sebree in the schoolhouse.
1864
1864
Date
1864
February 6, 1864
February 6, 1864
Date
February 6, 1864
Location
Ashland County, Ohio
Deaths
1
Injuries
0
Total
1
Description
George W. Longfelt (or George W. Langfitt), the school teacher of the Pyfer's School House, killed student Alfred Desem (or Albert Diesem) and fled.
1867
1867
Date
1867
February 16, 1867
February 16, 1867
Date
February 16, 1867
Location
Knights Ferry, California
Deaths
2
Injuries
0
Total
2
Description
Mr. McGinnis was killed by his daughter's teacher George T. Cheshire after McGinnis threatened the teacher for expelling his daughter from school. When McGinnis' son learned of this, he went to the school and killed the teacher.
April 2, 1867
April 2, 1867
Date
April 2, 1867
Location
Madison, Florida
Deaths
1
Injuries
0
Total
1
Description
Frank Pope, a pupil at St. John's seminary, shot and killed his teacher Mr. Bristow.
June 4, 1867
June 4, 1867
Date
June 4, 1867
Location
Buffalo, New York
Deaths
0
Injuries
1
Total
1
Description
13-year-old Arthur Day secretly took a loaded pistol to PS No. 18 to shoot a dog he said had bitten him. While playing with the pistol, Day accidentally shot and wounded classmate Robert Morton.
| Date | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Total | Description |
| 1860 | |||||
| January 21, 1860 | Todd County, Kentucky | 1 | 0 | 1 | A son of Col. Elijah Sebree was killed by another student. He had been led to believe that Young Sebree was threatening him; the latter student got a gun and fatally shot Sebree in the schoolhouse. |
| 1864 | |||||
| February 6, 1864 | Ashland County, Ohio | 1 | 0 | 1 | George W. Longfelt (or George W. Langfitt), the school teacher of the Pyfer's School House, killed student Alfred Desem (or Albert Diesem) and fled. |
| 1867 | |||||
| February 16, 1867 | Knights Ferry, California | 2 | 0 | 2 | Mr. McGinnis was killed by his daughter's teacher George T. Cheshire after McGinnis threatened the teacher for expelling his daughter from school. When McGinnis' son learned of this, he went to the school and killed the teacher. |
| April 2, 1867 | Madison, Florida | 1 | 0 | 1 | Frank Pope, a pupil at St. John's seminary, shot and killed his teacher Mr. Bristow. |
| June 4, 1867 | Buffalo, New York | 0 | 1 | 1 | 13-year-old Arthur Day secretly took a loaded pistol to PS No. 18 to shoot a dog he said had bitten him. While playing with the pistol, Day accidentally shot and wounded classmate Robert Morton. |
· 19th century › 1870s
1871
1871
Date
1871
January 27, 1871
January 27, 1871
Date
January 27, 1871
Location
Knoxville, Tennessee
Deaths
1
Injuries
0
Total
1
Description
John Roberts, aged 10 or 12, was accidentally shot in the eye at school and died.
1872
1872
Date
1872
February 1, 1872
February 1, 1872
Date
February 1, 1872
Location
Washington, Pennsylvania
Deaths
0
Injuries
1
Total
1
Description
At the all-girls Union School, 17-year-old Thomas McGiffin shot and seriously wounded the principal, Prof. Wilson, in the hip because Wilson refused to deliver a note to one of the girls. McGiffin was a son of Col. Norton McGiffin, and brother of US naval hero Philo McGiffin.
1873
1873
Date
1873
February 11, 1873
February 11, 1873
Date
February 11, 1873
Location
Wisconsin
Deaths
0
Injuries
1
Total
1
Description
A man shot the school mistress for whipping his son.
1874
1874
Date
1874
February 20, 1874
February 20, 1874
Date
February 20, 1874
Location
Agency, Montana
Deaths
1
Injuries
0
Total
1
Description
After being ejected from school for disobedience, 20-year-old Thomas Squires fatally shot Prof. Hayes three times in the abdomen.
April 9, 1874
April 9, 1874
Date
April 9, 1874
Location
Lebanon, Tennessee
Deaths
1
Injuries
0
Total
1
Description
John Robert Breckinridge, son of the late Robert Jefferson Breckinridge, attending classes in law at Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee, was killed by John L. Anderson, the Mayor's son. The latter was reportedly "crazed with liquor."
1878
1878
Date
1878
May 24, 1878
May 24, 1878
Date
May 24, 1878
Location
St. Paul, Minnesota
Deaths
0
Injuries
1
Total
1
Description
A 13-year-old boy, Luckert, accidentally shot and wounded Allie McDonald, another boy at the Neill school. The youth was expected to recover. His mother Mrs. McDonald went to the police station, but did not file a formal complaint.
1879
1879
Date
1879
May 24, 1879
May 24, 1879
Date
May 24, 1879
Location
Lancaster, New York
Deaths
0
Injuries
1
Total
1
Description
Telegraph operator Frank Shugart shot and severely injured Mr. Carr, superintendent of the stables at a girls' school.
| Date | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Total | Description |
| 1871 | |||||
| January 27, 1871 | Knoxville, Tennessee | 1 | 0 | 1 | John Roberts, aged 10 or 12, was accidentally shot in the eye at school and died. |
| 1872 | |||||
| February 1, 1872 | Washington, Pennsylvania | 0 | 1 | 1 | At the all-girls Union School, 17-year-old Thomas McGiffin shot and seriously wounded the principal, Prof. Wilson, in the hip because Wilson refused to deliver a note to one of the girls. McGiffin was a son of Col. Norton McGiffin, and brother of US naval hero Philo McGiffin. |
| 1873 | |||||
| February 11, 1873 | Wisconsin | 0 | 1 | 1 | A man shot the school mistress for whipping his son. |
| 1874 | |||||
| February 20, 1874 | Agency, Montana | 1 | 0 | 1 | After being ejected from school for disobedience, 20-year-old Thomas Squires fatally shot Prof. Hayes three times in the abdomen. |
| April 9, 1874 | Lebanon, Tennessee | 1 | 0 | 1 | John Robert Breckinridge, son of the late Robert Jefferson Breckinridge, attending classes in law at Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee, was killed by John L. Anderson, the Mayor's son. The latter was reportedly "crazed with liquor." |
| 1878 | |||||
| May 24, 1878 | St. Paul, Minnesota | 0 | 1 | 1 | A 13-year-old boy, Luckert, accidentally shot and wounded Allie McDonald, another boy at the Neill school. The youth was expected to recover. His mother Mrs. McDonald went to the police station, but did not file a formal complaint. |
| 1879 | |||||
| May 24, 1879 | Lancaster, New York | 0 | 1 | 1 | Telegraph operator Frank Shugart shot and severely injured Mr. Carr, superintendent of the stables at a girls' school. |
· 19th century › 1880s
1881
1881
Date
1881
December 1, 1881
December 1, 1881
Date
December 1, 1881
Location
Santa Monica, California
Deaths
1
Injuries
0
Total
1
Description
While working late at the schoolhouse on a program for the children's concert, Mr. O'Donnell, the school master, and Mr. Williams, one of the parents, got into an argument. Williams fatally shot O'Donnell in the back.
December 22, 1881
December 22, 1881
Date
December 22, 1881
Location
Shelby County, Indiana
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Total
0
Description
School teacher Charles J. Gregory shot at a pupil at close range because he refused to write on a slate. The bullet missed the boy. The teacher was arrested.
1882
1882
Date
1882
January 16, 1882
January 16, 1882
Date
January 16, 1882
Location
Iola, Kansas
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Total
0
Description
A group of boys shot into a schoolhouse, but no one was hurt. Two of the boys were arrested and pleaded guilty three weeks later. They were fined $9 each.
April 13, 1882
April 13, 1882
Date
April 13, 1882
Location
Huntsville, Texas
Deaths
0
Injuries
1
Total
1
Description
G . Gray, a student at the Sam Houston Normal School, shot and wounded another student, M . Jordan. They were arguing over a comic valentine.
1883
1883
Date
1883
February 14, 1883
February 14, 1883
Date
February 14, 1883
Location
Florence, Nebraska
Deaths
0
Injuries
3
Total
3
Description
As some children were playing and throwing snowballs outside the Ponca Creek schoolhouse, Lem Harbaugh and the Shipley brothers, three young men, pulled up in a wagon and engaged the children in a snowball fight. One of the Shipley brothers had a needle gun. As the children kept throwing snowballs, Harbaugh aimed the gun at them. The lo
November 20, 1883
November 20, 1883
Date
November 20, 1883
Location
Barber County, Kansas
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Total
0
Description
A bunch of drunken cowboys stopped at several schoolhouses, forcing two teachers to drink whiskey, and firing numerous shots at three schoolhouses.
1884
1884
Date
1884
February 28, 1884
February 28, 1884
Date
February 28, 1884
Location
Danville, Virginia
Deaths
0
Injuries
2
Total
2
Description
As Allen Wamack, a 15-year-old boy, drove by an all black schoolhouse, he called out "school butter" (an insult meaning a cobbing, or a whipping). The students came out and fired several shots at him; he shot back, hitting two students.
March 6, 1884
March 6, 1884
Date
March 6, 1884
Location
Charlestown, Massachusetts
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Total
0
Description
As news of outlaw Jesse James reached the East Coast, young boys started to imitate him. For instance, boys shot at police investigating their activities at the Concord Street schoolhouse.
1887
1887
Date
1887
June 12, 1887
June 12, 1887
Date
June 12, 1887
Location
Cleveland, Tennessee
Deaths
1
Injuries
0
Total
1
Description
Will Guess shot and killed teacher Miss Irene Fann, for whipping his little sister the day before.
1889
1889
Date
1889
June 13, 1889
June 13, 1889
Date
June 13, 1889
Location
New Brunswick, New Jersey
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Total
0
Description
Charles Crawford, upset over an argument with a school trustee, went up to the window and fired a pistol into a crowded schoolroom. The bullet lodged in the wall just above the teacher's head.
| Date | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Total | Description |
| 1881 | |||||
| December 1, 1881 | Santa Monica, California | 1 | 0 | 1 | While working late at the schoolhouse on a program for the children's concert, Mr. O'Donnell, the school master, and Mr. Williams, one of the parents, got into an argument. Williams fatally shot O'Donnell in the back. |
| December 22, 1881 | Shelby County, Indiana | 0 | 0 | 0 | School teacher Charles J. Gregory shot at a pupil at close range because he refused to write on a slate. The bullet missed the boy. The teacher was arrested. |
| 1882 | |||||
| January 16, 1882 | Iola, Kansas | 0 | 0 | 0 | A group of boys shot into a schoolhouse, but no one was hurt. Two of the boys were arrested and pleaded guilty three weeks later. They were fined $9 each. |
| April 13, 1882 | Huntsville, Texas | 0 | 1 | 1 | G . Gray, a student at the Sam Houston Normal School, shot and wounded another student, M . Jordan. They were arguing over a comic valentine. |
| 1883 | |||||
| February 14, 1883 | Florence, Nebraska | 0 | 3 | 3 | As some children were playing and throwing snowballs outside the Ponca Creek schoolhouse, Lem Harbaugh and the Shipley brothers, three young men, pulled up in a wagon and engaged the children in a snowball fight. One of the Shipley brothers had a needle gun. As the children kept throwing snowballs, Harbaugh aimed the gun at them. The lo |
| November 20, 1883 | Barber County, Kansas | 0 | 0 | 0 | A bunch of drunken cowboys stopped at several schoolhouses, forcing two teachers to drink whiskey, and firing numerous shots at three schoolhouses. |
| 1884 | |||||
| February 28, 1884 | Danville, Virginia | 0 | 2 | 2 | As Allen Wamack, a 15-year-old boy, drove by an all black schoolhouse, he called out "school butter" (an insult meaning a cobbing, or a whipping). The students came out and fired several shots at him; he shot back, hitting two students. |
| March 6, 1884 | Charlestown, Massachusetts | 0 | 0 | 0 | As news of outlaw Jesse James reached the East Coast, young boys started to imitate him. For instance, boys shot at police investigating their activities at the Concord Street schoolhouse. |
| 1887 | |||||
| June 12, 1887 | Cleveland, Tennessee | 1 | 0 | 1 | Will Guess shot and killed teacher Miss Irene Fann, for whipping his little sister the day before. |
| 1889 | |||||
| June 13, 1889 | New Brunswick, New Jersey | 0 | 0 | 0 | Charles Crawford, upset over an argument with a school trustee, went up to the window and fired a pistol into a crowded schoolroom. The bullet lodged in the wall just above the teacher's head. |
References
- Including one of the perpetrators
- Including both perpetrators
- Including the suspect or perpetrator
- One by gunfire
- Including a victim who died in 2025.
- University of Virginia School of Law – Arthur J. Morris Law Libraryhttp://archives.law.virginia.edu/person/john-anthony-gardner-davis
- Richmond Enquirer, Volume 37, Number 58 (Richmond, Virginia)http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024735/1840-11-17/ed-1/seq-2/#words=Painful+Occurrence
- The New York Timeshttps://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9A0DE0DD1131E13BBC4B53DFB7678388649FDE
- The Daily Dispatch, Volume 10, Number 41 (Richmond, Virginia)http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024738/1856-08-16/ed-1/seq-2/#&words=Master+MurderedAn
- The Daily Dispatch, Volume 14, Number 5 (Richmond, Virginia)http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024738/1858-07-07/ed-1/seq-2/#words=FCIC+RTII+I.Y+NOKTII
- The Daily Dispatch, Volume 17, Number 22 (Richmond, Virginia)http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024738/1860-01-26/ed-1/seq-1/#words=Schoolmate.—A
- Cleveland Tri-weekly Leader, Volume 18, Number 31 (Cleveland, Ohio)http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83035163/1864-02-06/ed-1/seq-4/#words=Mobdek+Abhlabd+Couxtt
- Ashland Times-Gazettehttps://www.times-gazette.com/story/news/2018/06/09/ashland-memories-tragedy-at-pifer/12031044007/
- The Daily Alta California, Volume 19, Number 7084 (San Francisco, California)http://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=DAC18670217.2.7.1.8
- Memphis Daily Appeal, Volume 17, Number 219 (Memphis, Tennessee)http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045160/1867-04-09/ed-1/seq-4/#words=Morula+teacher+seminary
- The New York Timeshttps://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1867/06/09/79366346.html?pageNumber=5
- Knoxville Daily Chronicle, Volume 1, Number 230 (Knoxville, Tennessee)http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85033437/1871-01-28/ed-1/seq-4/#words=Sad+Accident
- The Sun, Volume 39, Number 129 (New York City)http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn83030272/1872-02-02/ed-1/seq-1/#words=I'tliti+Ipitl+hnt+Hoy
- The Daily Phoenix, Volume 8, Number 277 (Columbia, North Carolina)http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84027008/1873-02-11/ed-1/seq-3/#words=shot+school+mistress
- Nebraska Advertiser, Volume 18, Number 35 (Brownville, Nebraska) 1856–1882http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84020109/1874-02-26/ed-1/seq-2/#words=hist+palled+Prof.+Hayes