Gun Violence Incidents Increasing in the U.S.

While mass shootings represent only a fraction of gun-related deaths in the country, their severity cannot be overlooked.
Gun control protest

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Recent mass shootings have once again highlighted the alarming issue of gun violence in the United States. While mass shootings represent only a fraction of gun-related deaths in the country, their severity cannot be overlooked. Sadly, 2023 is shaping up to be one of the worst years for mass killings in recent history.

Mass killings are defined as incidents where four or more individuals, excluding the perpetrator, are killed. According to data from the Gun Violence Archive, the United States is on track to experience 60 mass killings this year. In comparison, there were 31 in 2019, 21 in 2020, 28 in 2021, and 36 in 2022.

Shockingly, the U.S. is witnessing an average of more than one mass killing per week. Since the beginning of the year, there have already been 202 mass shootings, as classified by the archive. These shootings involve at least four people being killed or injured by firearms, excluding the shooter.

These incidents have occurred across the country, from Chicago to Mississippi, Tennessee to Texas. They have taken place in various locations, such as shopping malls, schools, parties, and countless neighborhoods. The magnitude and frequency of these events have prompted serious introspection in a nation where millions of guns are privately owned and meaningful gun control measures face significant political challenges.

As of late May, the Gun Violence Archive has documented over 260 mass shootings in the United States this year. Shockingly, in 2022 alone, the archive recorded a staggering 647 mass shootings, with 21 of them resulting in five or more fatalities.

U.S. health and advocacy groups have designated June 2 as National Gun Violence Awareness Day to raise awareness and remember the victims of gun violence. Participants are encouraged to wear orange, a color traditionally associated with hunters. This annual event began in 2015 on what would have been Hadiya Pendleton’s 18th birthday. Only 15 years old, Pendleton was tragically shot and killed in Chicago in 2013.

According to the Gun Violence Archive, as of May 31, more than 17,000 people, including 109 children under the age of 12, have lost their lives due to guns in the U.S. in 2023, encompassing suicides and other incidents.

The increasing number of gun violence incidents in the U.S. is a grave concern that demands urgent attention and comprehensive action to address this devastating issue.

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