A history of mass shootings in the US

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The mass shooting at a church in Texas on Sunday that left at least 26 people dead and 20 more injured, was just the latest in a long line of such incidents in the country.

The Gun Violence Archive, which collates daily information on gun violence and crime from over 2,500 sources, says 307 mass shootings - defined as shootings where at least four people were injured or killed - have taken place in 2017 alone.

Online news site Mother Jones has compiled a list of mass shootings in the US since 1982 and found at least 50 cases in which 10 or more people were injured or killed.

Here is a quick timeline of some of the most high-profile mass shootings that have taken place in the US over the past 35 years, with details about the shooters, the weapons they used and how these were obtained.

An injured person is tended to after a mass shooting at a country music festival on October 2, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. /VCG Photo

Worst US mass shootings since 1982

July 18, 1984: San Ysidro, California

Twenty-two killed, 19 injured at a McDonald's restaurant. Shooter: James Oliver Huberty, 41. Prior signs of mental health issues. Weapons used: semi-automatic handgun, assault rifle, shotgun. Obtained legally.

Aug. 20, 1986: Edmond, Oklahoma

Fifteen killed, six injured at a post office. Shooter: Patrick Sherrill, 44, was an employee. Possible mental problems. Weapons used: three semi-automatic handguns. Obtained legally. This shooting inspired the US expression “to go postal,” meaning to go mad.

Oct. 16, 1991: Killeen, Texas

Twenty-four killed, 20 injured at Luby’s cafeteria. Shooter: George Hennard, 35. Weapons used: two semiautomatic handguns. Obtained legally.

April 20, 1999: Littleton, Colorado

Thirteen killed, 24 injured at Columbine High School. Shooters: Eric Harris, 18, and Dylan Klebold, 17, were former students. Weapons used: semiautomatic handgun, assault rifle, two shotguns. Obtained illegally.

April 16, 2007: Blacksburg, Virginia

Thirty-two killed, 23 injured at Virginia Tech University. Shooter: Seung-Hui Cho, 23, was a student. Prior signs of mental health issues. Weapons used: two semiautomatic handguns. Obtained legally.

April 3, 2009: Binghamton, New York

Fourteen killed, 4 injured at an American Civic Association center for immigrants. Shooter: Jiverly Wong, 41. Prior signs of mental health issues. Weapons used: two semiautomatic handguns. Obtained legally.

Nov. 5, 2009: Fort Hood, Texas

Thirteen killed, 30 injured at a US Army base. Shooter: Nidal Malik Hasan, 39, was an Army psychiatrist. Attack was linked to Islamist extremism. Weapon used: semiautomatic handgun. Obtained legally.

Local residents embrace during a candlelight vigil for victims of a mass shooting in a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, US, November 5, 2017. /Reuters Photo

Jan. 8, 2011: Tucson, Arizona

Six killed, 13 injured at a constituent meeting with Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Shooter: Jared Loughner, 22. Prior signs of mental health issues. Weapon used: semiautomatic handgun. Obtained legally.

July 20, 2012: Aurora, Colorado

Twelve killed, 70 injured at a cinema. Shooter: James Holmes, 24. Prior signs of mental health issues. Weapons used: two semiautomatic handguns, assault rifle, shotgun. Obtained legally.

Dec. 14, 2012: Newtown, Connecticut

Twenty-seven killed, two injured – mostly children – at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Shooter: Adam Lanza, 20. History of mental health issues. Weapons used: two semiautomatic handguns, assault rifle, shotgun. Stolen.

Sept. 16, 2013: Washington, DC

Twelve killed, eight injured at the Washington Navy Yard. Shooter: Aaron Alexis, 34, was a military veteran. Prior signs of mental health issues. Weapons used: shotgun, handgun. Obtained legally.

Jun 17, 2015: Charleston, South Carolina

Nine killed, one injured at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. Shooter: Dylann Storm Roof, 21. Motive: hate crime. Weapon used: handgun. Obtained legally.

First responders are at the shooting scene at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, U.S., November 5, 2017. /Reuters Photo

Dec. 2, 2015: San Bernardino, California

Fourteen killed, 21 injured at Inland Regional Center. Shooters: Syed Rizwan Farook, 28, and Tashfeen Malik, 27, were both employees. Terror related. Weapons used: two assault rifles, two semiautomatic pistols. Obtained legally.

June 12, 2016: Orlando, Florida

Forty-nine people killed, 53 injured at a nightclub. Shooter: Omar Mateen, 29. Weapons used: semiautomatic rifle, semiautomatic handgun. Obtained legally.

Oct. 1, 2017: Las Vegas, USA - Deadliest mass shooting in US history.

Fifty-eight people killed, over 400 injured at an outdoor concert. Shooter: Stephen Paddock, 64. Weapons used: 23 firearms, mostly rifles, with two modified for "fully automatic" firing. All obtained legally.

Nov. 5, 2017: Sutherland Springs, Texas

At least 26 killed, 20 injured at a church during Sunday mass. Shooter: Devin Patrick Kelly, 26. Weapon used: Ruger AR assault-type rifle.

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