Wisconsin School Attack: Rare Female Shooter Raises Questions About Gender and Violence

A tragic shooting took place on Monday at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin. A 15-year-old girl, identified as the shooter, opened fire, killing two people and injuring six others before turning the gun on herself. While school shootings in the U.S. are sadly frequent, this case stands out for an unusual reason — the shooter was female.

The Uncommon Role of Female Shooters
Statistically, female shooters are extremely rare in both school and mass shootings. According to FBI data covering 2000 to 2019, 332 out of 345 active shooters were male, leaving only 13 female perpetrators. Similarly, Justice Department research shows that men carried out an overwhelming 97.7% of mass shootings between 1966 and 2019.

The Violence Prevention Project highlights this rarity further. Out of 200 shooters involved in mass incidents between 1999 and 2024, only four were female and one identified as transgender — referencing the tragic 2023 Nashville school shooting.

Why Are Female Shooters So Rare?
Experts believe male shooters often see themselves in perpetrators of past incidents, such as the Columbine or Virginia Tech tragedies, using them as “blueprints.” This trend hasn’t been as evident with female shooters.

Jillian Peterson, co-founder of the Violence Prevention Project and a forensic psychologist, explains that men are more likely to externalize blame, leading to anger and violence. Women, on the other hand, are statistically less likely to turn to guns and more inclined to use other means, like knives, when committing violent acts.

Female shooters also display distinct motives. Researchers Jason Silva and Margaret Schmul note that male violence often stems from entitlement or issues related to masculinity. In contrast, women who commit such acts are often linked to workplace grievances or ideological motivations.

Notable Female Shooter Incidents in History
While rare, several female shooters have made headlines:

• In 2006, a former postal worker shot and killed six colleagues in Goleta, California, before taking her life.
• In 2018, a woman with a grudge against YouTube opened fire at the company’s headquarters in San Bruno, California.
• That same year, an employee at a Rite Aid distribution center in Maryland killed three people before fatally shooting herself.

Female shooters have also participated in attacks as part of pairs, such as the 2015 San Bernardino terrorist attack and the 2019 Jersey City shooting.

The Infamous 1979 School Shooting
One of the most well-known school shootings involving a female shooter occurred in 1979. Sixteen-year-old Brenda Spencer fired at children arriving at an elementary school in San Diego, killing two adults and injuring several kids. When asked why she did it, Spencer famously replied, “I don’t like Mondays.”

Her statement inspired the Boomtown Rats’ hit song “I Don’t Like Mondays.” Spencer was sentenced to life in prison and is eligible for parole in 2025.

A Rare and Alarming Incident
The Wisconsin school shooting is a stark reminder of the devastating reality of gun violence. While it remains rare for female shooters to carry out such attacks, this incident highlights the need to address violence in all its forms, regardless of gender.