Webinar: Mass Attacks in Public Spaces

Audience: This event would be appropriate for federal, state, and local government agencies; school personnel; mental health providers, faith-based leaders; private sector, and others with a public safety nexus. This free virtual seminar is open to law enforcement, mental health professionals, workplace managers, school personnel, campus security, house of worship leadership, government officials, and others with a role in public safety across the United States.

The Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) will present the findings from the latest study on targeted violence titled Mass Attacks in Public Spaces – 2019 (MAPS-2019). The presentation will address the report’s implications for the prevention of targeted violence as part of NTAC’s continuous efforts to ensure the informed development of a prevention strategy through research. The study examines 34 targeted attacks that occurred in public or semi-public spaces (e.g., schools, places of business, houses of worship, open spaces) from January through December 2019, during which three or more persons were harmed, not including the attacker.

NTAC researchers studied the tactics, backgrounds, and pre-attack behaviors of the perpetrators to identify and affirm recommended best-practices in threat assessment and prevention. The study includes the following implications:

• Identification of potential threats and individuals who may be exhibiting concerning behaviors;
• Collection and assessment of information on the circumstances and behaviors of concerning individuals;
• Assessment of individuals’ risk of violence or other harmful behavior;
• Strategic development of interventions and risk mitigation efforts tailored to the individual’s circumstances.

The event will also feature guest speakers, including Secret Service Director James M. Murray, and leadership from other partner agencies.

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