The worsening gun violence problem in the U.S. has killed 138 children under the age of 12 this year

The problem of gun violence in the United States is getting worse. Since this year alone, there have been at least 297 mass shootings in the United States. The number of non-suicide deaths caused by gun violence has reached 9,396, including hundreds of children under the age of 12. In recent days, there have been frequent shootings in many parts of the United States, killing more than a dozen people and injuring dozens of others.

On the afternoon of the 21st local time, a shooting incident occurred in Arvada, Colorado, USA, resulting in 3 deaths, including a policeman and a suspect who was killed by the police. The police have not released other details, and the case is under further investigation. According to US media reports, the incident occurred in a prosperous area of ​​the city, and the shooting caused public riots for a while.

Also in Colorado, at around 4 am local time on the 20th, a shooting occurred in a shopping mall parking lot in Aurora near Denver, killing one person and injuring four others. When the shooting happened, people were participating in a festive celebration. The local police said they received at least 50 calls to the police. There is evidence that there were multiple gunmen at the time, and investigators collected 114 cartridge cases at the scene.

According to local media reports in the United States, a total of 38 shootings and violent attacks occurred in Chicago, Illinois, from the evening of the 18th local time to midnight on the 20th local time, resulting in 54 injuries and 8 deaths. The age of the victims ranged from 15 to 62 years old. According to police statistics, there were at least 17 shooting incidents on the 20th.

In addition, on the 20th, shootings occurred in many places in New Jersey and Indiana, causing casualties.

Shooting incidents involving children are frequent

The problem of gun violence has caused serious harm to ordinary Americans, especially the victimization of minors. According to an ABC report on the 22nd, last Thursday and Friday, there were two shooting incidents involving children in Detroit, Michigan alone, resulting in the death and injury of three children. The youngest victim was only 2 years old.

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According to reports, a shooting incident occurred on an interstate highway in Detroit on the evening of the 17th. The local police said that the victim’s family was driving home at the time, and the gunman drove past them and shot into the car. The shooting caused two children sitting in the back of the car to be shot. Among them, 2-year-old Christian was shot in the head and died after being sent to the hospital. His 9-year-old brother was also seriously injured in the shooting. The rescue was out of danger. The incident caused shock and anger among local people. Many people took to the streets and called for an end to gun violence.

Protester: Gun violence must stop immediately, and we refuse to take more harm.

Local police said that less than 12 hours after Christian and his brother were shot, another shooting involving children occurred in Detroit, resulting in an 11-year-old child being shot.

Detroit Police Chief Williams: The shooting originally only affected adults, but now the shooting also affected children. The children are innocent and they shouldn’t be involved in the shooting at all.

U.S. media reported that there are still many similar shooting incidents in the United States that have killed children. The California police said that on May 21 this year, there was also a shooting incident in Orange County in the state. At that time, a white car repeatedly tried to overtake the vehicle in front, and during its forced overtaking process, the people in the white car pulled out guns and shot at the vehicle in front.

The shooting resulted in the death of a 6-year-old boy in the vehicle ahead. After the incident was exposed by the media, it also caused strong public outrage in the society.

Data from the US “Gun Violence Archives” website shows that since this year, shooting incidents in the United States have resulted in the death of 138 children under the age of 12. In this regard, the Mayor of Dayton, Ohio, Nan Huili recently stated that unless the American society reaches a consensus on gun control legislation, such a tragedy will continue.

Nan Huili, Mayor of Dayton, Ohio: Shooting incidents can be seen everywhere. Shootings occurred in the streets, churches, and movie theaters. Unless we can reach a consensus on gun control legislation, or we all agree to conduct background checks on gun buyers.