massmord

Massmord, or mass murder in English, refers to the intentional killing of multiple victims in a single event or over a brief period. Definitions vary by country and field, but a common benchmark is four or more fatalities resulting from the same incident or closely linked incidents. The term is often used for non-accidental killings carried out by a single perpetrator or a small group, and it is frequently associated with firearm violence in public discourse. In some languages, including Swedish, massmord encompasses a range of methods and contexts, not limited to one weapon type.

Classification typically distinguishes massmord from related patterns of killing. Massmord emphasizes the scale and timing of the violence, such as a single-location attack (for example, a school or workplace) or a rapid sequence of killings at one or more locations. By contrast, spree murder involves multiple locations with little or no cooling-off period, while serial murder involves separate events separated by longer intervals. These distinctions help researchers analyze motives, planning, and security failures.

Causes and risk factors are diverse and not reducible to a single explanation. Factors discussed in research include access to weapons, extremist or grievance-based ideologies, personal or domestic conflicts, and social or economic stress. Mental health is frequently mentioned in media narratives but is not a sole predictor of massmord. Prevention emphasizes threat assessment, safe gun policies where applicable, early intervention for warning signs, community resilience, and coordinated emergency response.

Notable cases have drawn sustained public attention and have shaped policy debates in many countries. Massmord remains a focus of criminology, public safety, and media reporting due to its profound impact on communities and policy responses.