James Fetzer is a historian and author.
As far as I understand, a mass shooting is a violent incident in which one or more individuals deliberately use firearms to kill or injure a large number of people in a public setting such as a school, workplace, or community gathering.
The specific criteria for what qualifies as a mass shooting seems to vary, but I think it generally involves four or more victims being killed or injured.
Analysing some mass shootings
In his conversation with me, Fetzer presented over 100 slides analysing:
- the Boston bombing,
- the Orlando nightclub shooting,
- the Parkland shooting,
- the Charlottesville car bombing, and
- the Las Vegas mass shooting.

If mass shootings are staged, then what would be the purpose?
- To promote a particular political or ideological narrative, such as pushing for stricter gun control laws, inciting fear or division within society, or justifying increased surveillance or security measures.
- A distraction from other pressing issues or scandals, diverting public attention and shaping public opinion in a desired direction.
- Crisis actors are involved, resulting in a fabricated event or cover-up.
- It could be designed to attract significant media coverage, thereby gaining attention, sympathy, or support for a particular cause or agenda.
Consider the Las Vegas incident

The 2017 Las Vegas shooting was apparently acted out by a lone gunman.
But was it?
Could it have been gamed by multiple players with the goal of influencing gun control legislation?
The number of firearms in the gunman’s hotel room, the circumstances of his death, and the official timeline are all at odds with the official narrative.
Plus, the ‘suicide’ of the gunman is questionable.
The arsenal in his room seems excessive for a single individual, and the timeline provided by law enforcement is inconsistent with some eyewitness accounts.
The media reporting in lockstep (again)
The media’s immediate and uniform portrayal of the shooting is suspicious.
The consistency and speed with which the story was disseminated suggest a premeditated narrative rather than a series of independent reports. In the aftermath, there are accounts from witnesses and survivors that contradict the official version of events.
These dissenting voices seem to have been disregarded or even suppressed by the media, which leads one to believe that the propaganda machine is working overtime again.

Money and social engineering
It appears that some parties might have benefited financially from the event, possibly through foreknowledge, which could imply insider trading or capitalising on the expected increase in security and arms sales.
Furthermore, events like this are good mechanisms for social engineering, steering public opinion and legislative direction through fear, aligning with a broader agenda of social control, increased surveillance, and mass compliance.
How many mass shootings were staged?