Version 1 — Last update: November 2025
Targeted violence is defined as an activity that:
Events are reviewed against the following T2V inclusion criteria:
Type: Numeric
Source: PIRUS
Unique identifying number for event generated during event identification.
Type: Text
Source: BIAS
Provide a summary description of the event within a maximum of three-four complete sentences. The description should provide a basic account of the “who, what, when, where, how, and why” of the event.
Type: Numeric
Source: BIAS
Enter the day/month/year that the plot concluded (e.g., 12/01/2023). The conclusion date should be either the day the plot was carried out, if it was successful or failed, or the day the first arrest was made, if it was foiled. If only the month or year are known, then assume the first day of the month or the first day of the year and enter ‘01’. If unknown, enter -99.
Type: Year (YYYY)
Source: BIAS
Enter the year that the event concluded (YYYY). If the subject was arrested before the plot was carried out (e.g., in the case of a foiled plot) enter the year in which the perpetrator was arrested.
Type: Month (MM)
Source: BIAS
Enter the month that the event concluded (MM). If the subject was arrested before the plot was carried out, (e.g., in the case of a foiled plot) enter the month in which the perpetrator was arrested.
Type: Text
Source: GTD
Enter the US state or territory where the event occurred (fully spelled out, no abbreviations) or where the plot was intended to take place (e.g., in the case of a foiled plot). If this information is unknown, resort to the arrest location of the perpetrator(s).
Type: Text
Source: GTD
Enter the US city where the plot occurred (fully spelled out, no abbreviations) or where the plot was intended to take place (e.g., in the case of a foiled plot). If this information is unknown, resort to the arrest location of the perpetrator(s). If multiple perpetrator(s), resort to the arrest location of the first arrest. If unknown, enter -99.
Type: Numerical
Source: PIRUS-Plots
Enter the number of perpetrators who participated in the event. If no one was arrested, enter -99 unless sources specify how many assailants authorities believe carried out the attack.
Type: Text
Source: PIRUS
Enter the age of the perpetrator at the time of the event. If more than one assailant participated in the event, separate ages with a semicolon (e.g., 18; 23). If all that is known is that a juvenile participated in the crime, enter <18. If all that is known is that an adult participated in the crime, enter >17. If the age is unknown, enter -99.
Type: Dichotomous
Source: T2V
Did an assailant under the age of 18 participate in the event?
0 = No
1 = Yes
-99 = Unknown
Type: Dichotomous
Source: T2V
Was the event an act of terrorism or intended to be an act of terrorism? Terrorism is defined using the Global Terrorism Database (GTD)’s definition: "the threatened or actual use of illegal force and violence by a nonstate actor to attain a political, economic, religious, or social goal through fear, coercion, or intimidation. "
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: T2V
Was the event a premeditated hate crime or intended to be a premeditated hate crime? T2V uses the Federal Bureau of Investigation's definition of hate crime: "criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender's bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity."
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: T2V
Was the event an act of school-based targeted violence or intended to be an act of school-based targeted violence?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: T2V
Was the event an act of workplace targeted violence or intended to be an act of workplace targeted violence?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: T2V
Was the event an act of public mass violence or intended to be an act of public mass violence? Public mass violence is defined as an event in which the perpetrator intended to commit, or committed, an attack resulting in four or more casualties (deaths or injuries).
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: T2V
Was the event an act of other targeted violence or intended to be an act of other targeted violence? Other targeted violence is defined as property crimes targeting critical infrastructure or key resources or low casualty attacks in which the perpetrator intended to commit, or committed, an attack resulting in less than four or more casualties (deaths or injuries).
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Ordinal
Source: T2V
What was the outcome of the event? In order for a plot to be coded as successful, the plot must have actually taken place. If the perpetrator(s) of a plot detonated an explosive device at the target, but the device did not harm any of the victims, it is still considered successful since the perpetrators managed to detonate the device. Therefore, if a weapon was used during the attack, the attack would be successful, with the exception of assassinations. Assassinations are only successful if the intended target of the plot is killed. Failed plots are plots that are stopped due to the actions of the perpetrator(s), such as change in heart/mind of the perpetrator or some type of weapon failure or capability issue. Foiled plots are plots that are halted by any type of outside actor (e.g., law enforcement, an informant, a family member reporting it, etc.)
0 = Foiled plot
1 = Failed attack
2 = Successful attack
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Was the target of the event an individual or facility related to the provision of abortion services?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Was the target of the event a business?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Was the target of the event a school, college, or university?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Was the target of the event an individual or facility related to federal, state, or local government?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Was the target of the event critical infrastructure equipment or facilities?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Was the target of the event related to journalism or the news media?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Was the target of the event related to maritime activity?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Was the target of the event related to the U.S. military?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Was the target of the event an NGO?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Was the target of the event related to federal, state, or local law enforcement?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Was the target of the event chosen because of their actual or perceived race or ethnicity?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Was the target of the event chosen because of their actual or perceived religious affiliation?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Was the target of the event chosen because of their biological sex?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Was the target of the event chosen because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Was the target of the event a private citizen or private property that falls outside of the other private citizen types?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Was the target of the event a place of worship or religious figure?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Was the target of the event related to public transportation?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Was the target of the event a person or property that falls outside of the other target types?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Is the target of the event unknown?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Did the event involve the use or planned use of a biological weapon?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Did the event involve the use or planned use of a blunt object (e.g., brick, bat)?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Did the event involve the use or planned use of a chemical weapon (e.g., pepper spray)?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Did the event involve the use or planned use of an explosive device?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Did the event involve the use or planned use of firearms (e.g., handgun, rifle, airsoft gun)?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Did the event involve the use or planned use of an incendiary weapon (e.g., Molotov cocktail, gasoline)?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Did the event involve the use or planned use of a melee weapon (e.g., hands or feet)?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Did the event involve the use or planned use of a nuclear weapon?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Did the event involve the use or planned use of a radiological weapon?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Did the event involve the use or planned use of sabotage equipment (e.g., bolt cutters)?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Did the event involve the use or planned use of a sharp object (e.g., knife, axe)?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Did the event involve the use or planned use of a vehicle as a weapon?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
Did the event involve the use or planned use of a weapon other than those listed above?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Dichotomous
Source: GTD
: Did the event involve the use or planned use of an unknown weapon type?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Categorical
Source: DOJ & PIRUS-Plots
What type of plot did the perpetrator intend to carry out? A mass casualty incident is defined as an event in which the perpetrator(s) intended to or successfully killed or injured four or more people, not including themselves, in an attack. Property crimes include arsons where the perpetrator knew that no people were present at the time of the attack and intended property destruction. The most severe outcome is recorded; for example, a mass casualty event that included damage to property is coded as mass casualty.
1 = Property crime
2 = Low casualty incident
3 = Mass casualty incident
Type: Categorical
Source: DOJ & PIRUS-Plots
Did the perpetrator(s) successfully carry out a mass casualty attack? A mass casualty incident is defined as an event in which the perpetrator(s) successfully killed or injured four or more people, not including themselves, in an attack.
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Numerical
Source: GTD
Enter the total number of confirmed fatalities that occurred in the event. This number includes both victims and perpetrators who died as a direct result of the attack. Only record a value for plots that were carried out. If the plot was foiled before being carried out or non-violent (property crime), enter 0. If unknown, enter -99.
Type: Numerical
Source: GTD
Enter the total number of perpetrators killed as a direct result of the event. Only record a value for plots that were carried out. If the plot was foiled before being carried out or non-violent (property crime), enter 0. If unknown, enter -99.
Type: Numerical
Source: GTD
Enter the total number of victims (excludes perpetrators) killed as a direct result of the event. Only record a value for plots that were carried out. If the plot was foiled before being carried out or non-violent (property crime), enter 0. If unknown, enter -99.
Type: Numerical
Source: GTD
Enter the total number of confirmed non-fatal injuries that occurred as a result of the event. This number includes both victims and perpetrators who were injured as a direct result of the attack. Only record a value for plots that were carried out. If the plot was foiled before being carried out or was non-violent (property crime), enter 0. If unknown, enter -99.
Type: Numerical
Source: GTD
Enter the total number of perpetrators injured as a direct result of the event. Only record a value for plots that were carried out. If the plot was foiled before being carried out or was non-violent (property crime), enter 0. If unknown, enter -99.
Type: Numerical
Source: GTD
Enter the total number of victims (excludes perpetrators) injured as a direct result of the event. Only record a value for plots that were carried out. If the plot was foiled before being carried out or was non-violent (property crime), enter 0. If unknown, enter -99.
Type: Categorical
Source: PIRUS-Plots
Did the event result in federal charges for any of the perpetrators involved?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Categorical
Source: PIRUS-Plots
Did the event result in state or local charges for any of the perpetrators involved?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Categorical
Source: PIRUS-Plots
Did the event result in a court martial for any of the perpetrators involved?
0 = No
1 = Yes
Type: Categorical
Source: PIRUS-Plots
Did the event result in no charges for any of the perpetrators involved (e.g., the perpetrator died or was never arrested/charged)?
0 = No
1 = Yes
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