WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, the U.S. Secret Service’s National Threat Assessment Center released a new behavioral case study, First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs: A Case Study on the Link Between Domestic Violence and Mass Attacks, highlighting the connection between domestic and mass violence.
The case study provides a detailed look at the background, mindset, and behaviors of the individual who perpetrated the Nov. 5, 2017, shooting at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, an attack during which 26 people were killed and 22 were injured. The attacker died by suicide shortly after the attack. The analysis outlines years of concerning and criminal behavior committed by the attacker, including repeated acts of domestic violence against his wives, as well as other women and girls. Among many other warning signs, the attacker engaged in harassment, made threats, and abused children and animals.
“We know from our research on mass attacks that there is a link between domestic violence and mass violence. This case study examines the background of a mass attacker who spent years committing acts of domestic and sexual violence against women and girls,” said U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center Chief Dr. Lina Alathari. “The analysis underscores that domestic violence does not always affect a single victim. These acts of violence can harm the broader community, and as such, there is a need for a whole-of-community approach to keep our neighbors, friends, and families safe.”
This case study aims to both educate public safety practitioners on the warning signs of mass violence and bring attention to the link between domestic violence and mass attacks. In a previous study of mass attacks in public spaces, NTAC found that 41% of the mass attackers had a history of domestic violence.
As NTAC research continuously demonstrates, there is no single profile of an attacker, however our research has revealed numerous patterns of behavior and life circumstances that are common across mass attackers. This case study describes how the perpetrator demonstrated many of these common patterns, including a history of violence and criminal behavior, as well as threatening communications and eliciting concern in others.
Since the 1990s, the Secret Service NTAC has been conducting research, training, consultation, and information sharing on behavioral threat assessment and the prevention of targeted violence. NTAC has studied attacks directed at government agencies and officials, workplaces, K-12 schools, institutions of higher education, and other public spaces. In 2024 alone, NTAC provided more than 300 trainings and briefings to more than 40,000 participants, including state and local law enforcement, government officials, educators, mental health professionals, faith-based leaders, and workplace security managers across the country. These trainings educate public safety officials on how to adopt the Secret Service’s behavioral threat assessment methodology to prevent future attacks impacting our communities.