The incidents came after deadly attacks in Ovalde, Texas, Buffalo, New York and Tulsa, Oklahoma, which rekindled the debate over gun control.
A professor from Philadelphia, an Arizona teenager and a Chicago police officer are just a few of the hundreds killed or injured by gunfire over the weekend. in a vicious cycle of armed violence forcing the US to look at ways to curb these episodes.
More of 124 people were killed and 325 were injured in at least 300 shooting episodes across the country since Friday, according to GunViolenceArchive.org, a Washington-based nonprofit that records firearms incidents.
These episodes occurred after the deadly attacks in Uvalde, Texasthe New York Buffalo and Oklahoma Tulsawhich rekindled the debate on imposing restrictions on gun ownership.
We see lives being lost foolishly and others being injured in another disgusting, brazen, repressive act of armed violence
After the weekend episodes, the mayors of some major cities expressed their frustration and anger about the consequences of armed violence on their communities. “I’m tired of appearing in front of you and talking to you about guns and corpses,” Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly told a news conference hours after two people were killed and 14 were injured in a fire at a nightclub in his hometown.
“The wave of armed violence we see across the country and here in Philadelphia he does not just feel sorry for me, he is angry with me “, For his part, Mayor Jim Kenney said three people were killed and 12 injured in a fire at a packed bar. Among the victims was Chris Miners, an educational counselor at Girard Private College in Philadelphia. “We see lives being lost foolishly and others being injured in another disgusting, brazen, repressive act of armed violence,” Kenney added.
Earlier in the day, New York Governor Kathy Hawkul ratified 10 gun control bills, enacting legislation. In Washington, Congress is considering various measures to control gun ownership, but a new federal bill will be difficult to pass, especially in the Senate, because of obstacles raised by Republicans.
“Change is needed now” said Phoenix Mayor Kate Galego after a 14-year-old was killed and eight other people were injured in a fire on a shopping street on Saturday.
A police officer was injured during a traffic test in Chicago’s South Side on Sunday afternoon. He is the second to receive fire in this area in the last four days. “How many police officers and residents have to fall victim to armed violence in order to act?” Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot wondered.
