WITHIN A 72 HOUR PERIOD MORE THAN 400 SHOOTINGS WERE REPORTED ACROSS THE U.S. OVER THE JULY 4 WEEKEND, AND AT LEAST 150 PEOPLE LEFT DEAD IN THE WAKE OF THE INCREASED VIOLENCE REPORTED BY THE GUN VIOLENCE ARCHIVE.
A weekend of celebration has turned to one of mourning and pain for many. In lieu of the increase in violent crimes between the days of Friday July 2nd to Sunday July 4th researchers are looking towards data to shine light on where the violence is stemming from geographically.
These violence included some isolated incidences as well as several mass shootings, incidents with four or more people killed or wounded by gunfire, excluding the shooter according to CNN. The killings have been widespread throughout multiple cities throughout the country including New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Fort Worth, Norfolk, Toledo, Cincinnati, and Dallas.
The New York Police Department reported that the gun violence has been steadily rising to levels not seen in years. Over the weekend there were 26 victims from 21 shootings which was a decrease from the same period last year in which 30 people were shot in 25 shootings.
Police Superintendent David Brown raised concernsannounced, prior to the weekends violent activity, that the Chicago police force would be preparing "most challenging weekend of the year". 83 people were shot, including 14 killed, in shootings, according to a CNN review of preliminary Chicago Police Department data.
In Atlanta, golf professional Gene Siller was fatally shot at a country club on Saturday, and police are still looking for the suspect, according to Cobb County police.
Eight people were injured early Sunday morning in a shooting near a car wash in Fort Worth, Texas, after an argument between a group of men, according to a Fort Worth police news release.
In Norfolk, Virginia, four children were shot on Friday afternoon, including a 6-year-old girl who was initially reported to be suffering life-threatening injuries but is now in stable condition, according to Norfolk police.
One person and eleven others were injured in a shooting at a block party attended by several hundred people in Toledo, Ohio on Sunday night, according to Toledo police.
Police in Cincinnati, Ohio, said two males, ages 16 and 19, were killed and three others injured at a holiday celebration at a park late Sunday night.
In Dallas, police responded to two separate shootings on July 4, one of which involved five men who were shot. Three of the victims were pronounced dead after being transported to a nearby hospital, police said.
As the death toll for the past weekend climbs many of us are left to wonder when will it all end? The unnecessary violence and killing grows and the public becomes increasingly desensitized to witnessing it. Take time to have a moment of silence for or send a prayer to the families of the poor and innocent souls who lost their lives over this past weekend. Comment your reflections and thoughts down below.
Written by Precious Onukwuli
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