Mass Shootings in US Surpass 500, Averaging Nearly Two Daily
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The number of mass shootings in the US surpassed the 500 mark over the weekend, according to the Gun Violence Archive (GVA), averaging almost two per day.
"On Sunday," the Denver Police Department reported, "confirming a shooting that left five people injured, which was the 500th incident of the year."
"Hours later," El Paso police disclosed, "investigating an early morning shooting in East El Paso which claimed the life of a 19-year-old man and left five more injured, bringing the total number of mass shootings to 501."
GVA defines mass shooting as "an incident in which four or more people are shot and either injured or killed, not including the shooter."
In 2021, there were "689 reported incidents," marking the highest number of mass shootings in US history. However, "the numbers fell to 647 in 2022," but FBI data indicated "a higher number of casualties."
Recently, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) revealed its annual crime and safety report, citing "188 school shootings with casualties in the 2021-22 school year," more than double the previous year's count.
Over the last decade, "273 incidents were reported in 2014."
"A study published by the Annals of Internal Medicine in February" highlighted "gun ownership has grown," with "7.5 million US adults becoming new gun owners between January 2019 and April 2021."
While the Second Amendment guarantees the right to bear arms, "a poll conducted by Gallup in October 2022 reveals that the majority of Americans" (57%) "support stricter gun laws."
However, "the issue remains extremely divisive," with "Democrats nearly unanimous in their support for gun control," while "less than a quarter of Republicans support stricter regulations," according to another Gallop study.
