Shillong, July 24: The US experienced a devastating weekend, with nine mass shootings occurring across the country, leading to at least four deaths and 35 injuries as of Sunday. The Gun Violence Archive, a website that tracks firearm deaths and injuries, reported this data, which brings the total number of mass shootings to 404 since the beginning of 2023.
IANS reported that as per the collected and validated data from 7,500 sources daily, these shootings have resulted in at least 453 people losing their lives. Shockingly, among the deceased were 161 children under the age of 12, and nearly 400 children have been injured in mass shootings so far this year, according to an anti-gun violence group.
The recorded number of mass shootings this year is 9 percent higher compared to the same period last year, indicating a troubling upward trend.
In 2022, as of July 23, there were 365 mass shootings, with the entire year witnessing a total of 647 such incidents across the country. The past three years all surpassed 600 mass shootings, with 2021 reporting the highest number of 690 incidents, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
The ongoing surge in mass shootings is a grave concern for public safety and calls for urgent action to address gun violence in the US.