Among those killed were some 161 children under age 12, and another nearly 400 children had been injured in mass shootings so far this year…reports Asian Lite News
Nine mass shootings occurred across the US over the weekend, bringing the total to more than 400 this year, according to a website that tracks firearm deaths and injuries.
The nine mass shootings led to at least four deaths and 35 injuries as of Sunday, according to the latest data from the Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as an event with at least four victims either injured or killed, not including the shooter.
The website recorded 404 mass shootings as of Sunday since the start of 2023, which left at least 453 people dead, according to the data, which are collected or validated from 7,500 sources daily, reports Xinhua news agency.
Among those killed were some 161 children under age 12, and another nearly 400 children had been injured in mass shootings so far this year, according to the anti-gun violence group.
The number of mass shootings was 9 percent up from a year earlier.
As of July 23, 2022, there were 365 mass shootings, and that year saw a total of 647 mass shootings across the country.
The increase confirmed a rising trend of mass shootings in the US.
In 2016, the country reported 383 mass shootings.
The last three years all surpassed 600, with 2021 registering the largest number — 690 mass shootings, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
Since his election, President Joe Biden urged Congress to pass a ban on assault rifles and other measures.
In April 2022, the President announced plans to crack down on “ghost guns”, claiming that they have become “weapons of choice for many criminals.” The resulting ATF (The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) regulatory action was ultimately held illegal and vacated by a federal judge in Texas, leaving ghost gun and so-called “80% receiver” kits legal in interstate commerce.
On June 25, 2022, President Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act into law, which included strengthened background checks for firearm purchasers under the age of 21, $15 billion in funding for mental health programs and school security upgrades, federal funding to encourage states to implement red flag laws, and gun ownership bans for individuals convicted of domestic abuse charges.
