Texas prosecutors are calling a teenage shooting spree ‘terrorism’ – the case could reshape American criminal law

When does a shooting become terrorism? A Texas case could help define the answer.

By: Art Jipson, University of Dayton, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: July 27, 2026

Words: 1,538

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 2 days ago

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By Art Jipson, University of Dayton

For decades, terrorism researchers have generally distinguished terrorism from other forms of violence by one defining feature: the intention to intimidate a wider audience beyond immediate victims.

That distinction has shaped both academic research and criminal prosecutions in the U.S. Yet scholars have long debated a deceptively simple question: Is terrorism defined by why violence is committed, or by what the violence is intended to …

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