Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

This paper investigates the impact of in utero exposure to mass shootings in United States on infant health outcomes between 2005 and 2015. Using Supplementary Homicide Reports and various media sources I first construct complete list of mass shootings in US. Employing difference-in-difference estimation strategy reveals that in utero exposure to mass shootings increases the incidence of low birth weight (BW<2,500 grams), and very-preterm births (Gestational Length<34 weeks) by 2.6 percent and 5 percent, respectively. Several robustness exercises support these findings.