News / Society

US in horror: 5 killed, 27 injured in string of weekend mass shootings

Monday, 13 June 2022 5:47 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 13 June 2022 5:47 PM ]

Thousands protest against gun violence, in Washington DC, on June 11, 2022. (Photo by The New York Times)

At least 5 people were killed and 27 others injured in a spate of mass shootings across the United States over the weekend.

US law enforcement officers responded to at least seven mass shootings in seven cities across the country since Friday night, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a site that tracks shootings in the United States.

The US has witnessed a string of consecutive weekend mass shootings that began over the Memorial Day holiday, when a total of 13 people lost their lives and 79 sustained injuries in at least 17 shootings across the country.

Last weekend was the bloodiest weekend in the latest wave of mass casualty incidents. At least 11 mass shootings were reported, in which a total of 17 people were killed and 62 injured.

Since the Buffalo, New York, shooting on May 14, when a white supremacy sympathizer opened fire at a supermarket and killed 10 Black people, at least 63 mass shootings have been reported across the country, an average of two per day.

Most notably on May 24, a shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, left 19 students and two teachers dead.

The mass casualty incidents have sent shockwaves across the United States, promoting the Biden administration and Congress to renew their often-futile efforts to introduce measures to curb gun violence.

A bipartisan group of 20 US senators announced Sunday that they had reached agreement on the framework of a plan to tighten gun control laws in the country.

US senators strike limited deal on gun violence following mass shootings

A bipartisan group of US senators announced measures aimed at curbing rampant gun violence across the nation.

The proposal includes funding to encourage states to remove guns from potentially dangerous people, money for school safety and mental health care as well as expanded background checks for gun purchases by people under the age of 21.

If passed into law, the measure would be the first legislative deal in 30 years to try to curb what US officials, including President Joe Biden, often refer to as the epidemic of gun violence.

The lawmakers, 10 Democrats and 10 Republicans, called the deal a "commonsense" proposal that would reduce the threat of violence in the United States.

On Saturday, thousands of Americans, horrified by the recent uptick in mass shootings, took part in hundreds of protests across the country, demanding Congress take action on gun violence.

Protesters turned out to more than 450 rallies nationwide, with the largest gathering taking place in Washington, DC. The rallies were organized by March for Our Lives, a youth-driven organization first created by survivors of the 2018 mass shooting in Parkland, Florida.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk