LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - According to data collected by the Gun Violence Archive, the shooting at Abundant Life Christian School marks the 83rd school shooting in the US where someone has been hurt or killed this year.

Mark Bryant tells us the number of school shootings has increased since 2023, but less people have been killed this year. And he says mass shootings in general have decreased this year.

"As we look at mass shootings, we had over 650 last year. The year before that, the year before that and the year before that, we've had over 600 since the year 2020. And this year, we are not at 500 yet."

Bryant said there were 71 school shootings where someone was hurt or killed in 2023. Of those, 38 were killed and 64 were injured. So far this year, he said 27 people have been killed and 89 have been injured.

And in terms of mass shootings overall, Bryant said Monday's events mark the 487th mass shooting in the US this year.

"That's a lot of people that are at home with their families. That's a lot of families that are not dealing with picking out coffins."

Bryant believes there are a couple of main reasons this number may be going down.

"A lot of awareness has been raised in the last couple of years. And a lot of money has been spent to bolster law enforcement to be able to get guns off the street and get guns out of the hands of those who don't have a reason to have them."

But there are still many families and communities grieving, and many answers Bryant and his team are working to find.

"My main question on school shootings, especially when there's a student responsible, is where did that student get the gun. That has to be one of the first questions we ask."

Almost 400 students from kindergarten to high school attend Abundant Life. This was the final week of classes before the school's Christmas break.