By Noah CarterNearly three-quarters of individuals who carried out targeted workplace attacks displayed clear warning behaviors beforehand, according to a comprehensive study released by the U.S. Secret Service. Researchers at the agency’s National Threat Assessment Center analyzed 50 workplace violence incidents between 2016 and 2020 to build a prevention framework for employers.
Beyond its primary missions of protecting national leaders and investigating financial crimes, the Secret Service operates the National Threat Assessment Center to study targeted violence across American communities. The center’s chief, cognitive neuropsychology specialist Dr. Lina Alathari, explained that the new report offers a scalable safety blueprint for organizations of any size.
Investigators found that almost all of the 50 examined attacks were committed by solo male perpetrators who had an existing connection to the targeted site. Those attackers included current or former employees, customers, and romantic partners of workers employed at the locations.
Domestic Violence History Linked to Over Half of Attackers
One of the study’s central findings is the strong correlation between intimate partner abuse and subsequent workplace shootings. While previous Secret Service research on broader mass attacks found that over 40 percent of perpetrators had a history of domestic violence, that figure rose to 53 percent among workplace attackers.
In many cases, victims had previously sought restraining orders or protective orders against the perpetrators after experiencing threats or physical abuse. The report opened by citing a 2017 San Bernardino elementary school shooting in which a man with a history of domestic abuse killed his estranged wife and a student.
Researchers also noted that roughly two-thirds of the perpetrators had prior criminal charges, and half of the employee attackers had formal workplace disciplinary records. Public safety policy studies featured in Politics emphasize how threat assessment teams can intervene before personal grievances escalate into violence.
Retail and Hospitality Venues Face Highest Attack Rates
Across the 50 analyzed cases, retail stores were the most frequently targeted venues, followed closely by restaurants and manufacturing or distribution facilities. Nearly every perpetrator experienced acute personal or professional stressors—such as chronic medical pain, family illness, peer conflicts, or impending job termination—prior to acting.
In one documented incident, an employee fatally shot four coworkers during a human resources meeting immediately after receiving a termination notice. In another case, a 22-year-old service member facing chronic pain and work reprimands killed two people and injured a third on a military base.
Proactive Threat Assessment Teams Can Prevent Attacks
Dr. Alathari urged corporate executives and public agencies to establish internal multidisciplinary teams trained to recognize concerning behaviors along an escalating continuum. The Secret Service utilizes the same behavioral threat assessment model daily to protect the president and visiting foreign heads of state.
Providing employees with clear, confidential reporting channels allows organizations to connect troubled individuals with support services and security interventions early. Researchers concluded that active executive leadership and structured reporting protocols can stop targeted workplace violence before an attacker arrives on site.
To compile the five-year study, National Threat Assessment Center researchers examined law enforcement investigative files, court transcripts, witness statements, and employment histories from 50 distinct workplace attacks across the country. The resulting data allowed analysts to map how personal crises and behavioral red flags overlapped prior to violence.
Human resources associations and corporate security directors have begun incorporating the Secret Service findings into updated workplace safety manuals. Agency officials emphasized that threat assessment is not about profiling employees, but rather about identifying individuals in crisis and intervening safely before violence occurs.
