The National Threat Assessment Center, or NTAC, released its latest publication, First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs: A Case Study on the Link Between Domestic Violence and Mass Attacks, April 23. It examines the link between domestic violence and mass attacks by delving into the deadly 2017 shooting at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs in Texas.
A 26-year-old shooter killed 26 people November 5, 2017, including his wife’s grandmother, and injured another 22 churchgoers during a rampage just outside San Antonio, Texas. It was the deadliest mass shooting in Texas history.
For years before the attack, the shooter engaged in repeated acts of domestic violence against his wives. He also had a long history of other concerning and criminal behaviors, including the harassment and sexual assault of numerous young women and girls, threats made to family, military personnel, and law enforcement, and the abuse of 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.”
The Secret Service established NTAC to conduct research on targeted violence and provide guidance to public safety officials on preventing these types of attacks using behavioral threat assessment, which is an approach used by the Secret Service to protect the president and others.
NTAC has been conducting research to support the agency’s protective mission for over two decades. In October 2024, it released Behavioral Threat Assessment Units: A Guide for State and Local Law Enforcement Partners to Prevent Targeted Violence, highlighting 20 “assessment themes” frequently found in the background of assailants.
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