Differences Between Mass Murderers and Serial Killers

The difference between mass murderers and serial killers are mass murderers are generally apprehended or killed by police, commit suicide, or turn themselves in to authorities. On the other hand serial killers usually make special efforts to escape exposure. They may even continue to kill for weeks, months, and often years before they are found and stopped if they are found at all. Also even though both types of killers stir up fear and nervousness …

…hurt and murder victims, whereas the mass murderer makes his or her "final statement" in or about life through the middle of sudden and final violence. The mass murderer and the serial killer are quantitatively and qualitatively different, and disagreement continues about their characteristics. Perhaps the single most serious awkward block that today stands in the way of understanding serial murder is the disagreement among researchers and law enforcement about how to define the phenomenon.