According to court opinions, competency rulings, law-enforcement releases, or mainstream reporting that cites those records, seven U.S. mass public shooters since 1998 had a documented diagnosis of schizophrenia — 0.26 cases per year. There was one other case where the family says that the murderer was a schizophrenic. More than 3.5 million Americans live with the disorder, yet only one schizophrenic has committed a mass attack since 2019. That makes the odds of such a crime less than one in 3.5 million—extremely rare. Our detailed information on mass public shooters is available here.
Mass Public shooters with documented schizophrenia diagnosis.
Michael McDermott, Dec 26, 2000 – Wakefield, MA (Edgewater Technology) — diagnosed paranoid schizophrenia.
Nathan Gale, Dec 8, 2004 – Columbus, OH (Alrosa Villa nightclub): — mother reported the Marines had diagnosed him with paranoid schizophrenia (family statement reported by AP/CBS). This case might be excluded as the diagnose was reported only by family rather than in court/medical records.
Jared Loughner, Jan 8, 2011 – Tucson, AZ (Safeway) — diagnosed schizophrenia (per prosecutors/court proceedings).
Eduardo Sencion, Sep 6, 2011 – Carson City, NV (IHOP): — diagnosed paranoid schizophrenia
One L. Goh, Apr 2, 2012 – Oakland, CA (Oikos University) — diagnosed paranoid schizophrenia; found incompetent and committed to Napa State Hospital, later tried/convicted
Esteban Santiago, Jan 6, 2017 – Fort Lauderdale, FL (Airport) — diagnosed schizophrenia in federal case filings/hearings.
Travis Reinking, Apr 22, 2018 – Nashville, TN (Waffle House) — schizophrenia; case paused for treatment; defense and court records referenced diagnosis
Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa (Boulder, CO — March 22, 2021)
