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All Murders Counted in 2023 were Committed by Right-Wing Extremists
New York, NY, February 20, 2024 … For the second year in a row, murders in the United States connected to extremism have declined, according to new data from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). Extremists were involved in the killing of 17 people in 2023, a significant drop from the 27 extremist-related murders in 2022 and 35 identified in 2021. It continues a trend of fewer extremist-related killings after a five-year span (2015-2019) in which the number of extremist-related murders ranged from 47 to 79.
The ADL Center on Extremism’s annual Murder and Extremism report also found that all extremist-related killings of 2023 were connected to right-wing extremism, with white supremacists tied to the overwhelming majority (88%). The two deadliest incidents were extremist-related shooting sprees by white supremacists: the Allen, Texas, mall shooting in May, where eight were killed and seven wounded, and the store shooting in Jacksonville, Florida, in August, which resulted in three fatalities. Together, these two incidents accounted for 11 of the 17 (65%) extremist-related deaths in 2023. Firearms were used in almost all of the 2023 killings (94%).
“While a decrease in extremist-related killings is a welcome trend, every single one of these murders is a tragedy,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO. “And last year we witnessed mass shootings in Texas and Florida at the hands of avowed white supremacists who took their hatred to the next level. These events, which could have resulted in much higher fatalities had law enforcement not interceded, are a reminder of the still serious threat of far-right violence.”
Murder and Extremism in 2023: Key Findings
- Domestic extremists killed at least 17 people in seven separate incidents in the U.S. in 2023, down from 27 extremist-related murders documented in 2022. This continues a trend of fewer extremist-related killings after a five-year span of 47-79 extremist-related murders per year (2015-2019).
- The 2023 murder totals include two extremist-related shooting sprees, both by white supremacists, which together accounted for 11 of the 17 deaths.
- All the extremist-related murders in 2023 were committed by right-wing extremists, with 15 of the 17 killings involving perpetrators or accomplices with white supremacist connections. This is the second consecutive year that right-wing extremists have been connected to all identified extremist-related killings.
- Two of the incidents from 2023 involved women playing some role in the killing or its aftermath. This report includes a special section that examines the role played by women in deadly extremist violence in the United States by analyzing 50 incidents from the past 20 years in which women were involved in some fashion in extremist-related killings. In slightly over half of the incidents (26 of 50, or 52%), the woman or women participated directly in the killing or in violence that led up to the killing.
“Our data shows that, while extremist killings have decreased, the threat of extremist mass shootings has not,” said Oren Segal, Vice President for the ADL Center on Extremism. “The extremist landscape remains complex, and the threat of deadly extremist violence may be even higher this year as many of the issues animating hate and violence can be exacerbated in an election year.”
To view the incidents referenced in this report and other extremist activity across the country, refer to the ADL H.E.A.T. Map, which tracks incidents of hate and violence nationwide.
Main Policy Recommendations
Policymakers should review ADL’s PROTECT Plan, our comprehensive plan to counter domestic terrorism while preserving civil liberties. Urgent policy priorities include:
- The Administration must continue implementing the National Strategy to Counter Domestic Terrorism, released in 2021, and Congress must adopt a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to preventing and countering domestic terrorism. Departments and agencies must create their own implementation plans for the Strategy.
- The White House should name a senior level Domestic Terrorism Director at the National Security Council whose exclusive, full-time focus is addressing domestic terrorism and hate-motivated violence in the United States.
- Congress must commit to the implementation of the National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, released in May 2023.
- We urge robust funding for programs like the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP). At a time of increased vulnerability to threats of hate-motivated violence by domestic extremists, Congress should significantly increase funding for non-profit religious institutions and other non-profit organizations that are determined to be at high risk of attack.
- Federal, state, and local officials should ensure that no public employees are involved in violent movements, and that those who sympathize with extremists are not in sensitive positions, such as law enforcement, the military, and other positions that may hold a security clearance.
- Congress must prioritize countering online extremism and ensuring that perpetrators who engage in unlawful activity online can be held accountable. In March 2021, ADL announced the REPAIR Plan, which offers a comprehensive framework for platforms and policymakers to take meaningful action to decrease online hate and extremism.
- In addition to efforts to counter extremism domestically, the Biden-Harris Administration should create a global movement to counter extremism and ensure that the transnational movements that fuel domestic threats have no home in partner countries.
ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913, its timeless mission is “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all. More at www.adl.org.