UNITED STATES: A series of mass shootings occurred in Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Fort Worth prior to the Fourth of July holiday, resulting in the tragic deaths of ten individuals and the injuries of 38 others, officials stated, spurring a fresh call from President Joe Biden to enact gun control legislation.
According to local police, a mass shooting that took place in Fort Worth after a celebration of Independence Day resulted in the deaths of three people and the injuries of eight others on Tuesday.
Additionally, a separate incident unfolded in Philadelphia on Monday evening, where a suspect wearing body armour and armed with an AR-15 opened fire on unsuspecting individuals. Tragically, five people were killed, and two others, including a 2-year-old boy and a 13-year-old boy, were wounded in the legs, said police.
On Monday night, a series of shootings occurred following a tragic incident in Baltimore where two people lost their lives and 28 others, including numerous children, were wounded during a neighbourhood block party due to gunfire.
The motives behind all three recent shootings are not yet clear.
The United States continues to grapple with a significant number of mass shootings and incidents of gun violence.
According to data from the Gun Violence Archive, which defines mass shootings as incidents involving at least four people shot (excluding the shooter), the country has experienced over 340 such events in 2023 so far.
In response to these disturbing events, President Biden expressed his condemnation of the violence and renewed his calls to implement stricter gun laws in America.
Biden said in a statement that “our country has once again endured a wave of tragic and senseless shootings,” urging Republican senators “to come to the table on meaningful, commonsense reforms.”
Republicans in Congress largely reject Biden’s push to reinstate an assault weapons ban and prevent attempts to dramatically change gun safety legislation by citing constitutional rights for gun ownership.
Officials from Philadelphia begged state and federal lawmakers to take action.
Jim Kenney, the Democrat mayor of Philadelphia, said at a news conference on Tuesday, “We are begging Congress to protect lives and do something about America’s gun problem.”
Philadelphia’s District Attorney, Larry Krasner, urged state lawmakers in Philadelphia to enact “reasonable legislation” similar to the laws in neighbouring New Jersey and Delaware.
Krasner added, “Some of that legislation might have made a difference here.”
The Philadelphia police reported that the perpetrator was a 40-year-old man armed with an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle and a 9mm pistol while donning body armour and a ski mask.
The victims’ ages ranged from 15 to 59 years old.
Krasner promised to bring forth multiple charges of murder and other offences during the shooter’s initial court hearing scheduled for Wednesday.
Meanwhile, in Fort Worth, the police mentioned that no arrests had been made following a shooting incident at Como Fest—a cherished event that celebrates the African American history of the Como neighbourhood.
“I choose to believe this is a few bad perpetrators that came into this neighbourhood to really wreak havoc, Mattie Parker,” the mayor, said.
Just before midnight, witnesses heard a volley of gunfire that some originally mistook for fireworks but quickly caused a panic for shelter, according to the Dallas Morning News.
A few hours later, the July Fourth procession through Como was held by rebellious neighbours and local authorities.
The police in Baltimore have stated that they are looking for several people.
The most recent shootings happened close to the anniversary of the Highland Park mass shooting, which took place outside Chicago last year and resulted in seven fatalities and 48 injuries during an Independence Day parade. After being charged with 117 felonies, a 22-year-old man is still in detention in connection with the massacre.
Also Read: Deadly Incident in Fort Worth: Texas Mass Shooting Results in At Least 3 Fatalities, 8 Injuries
