At least 150 people lost their lives to gun violence over the Fourth of July weekend in the United States, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
In data compiled during a 72-hour period from Friday until Sunday, the GVA were able to highlight truly shocking figures relating to gun crime across the nation.
Reports state that there were as many as 21 shootings in New York alone over the weekend (July 2 to July 4), leaving 26 victims. Meanwhile, CNN say that as many as 83 people were shot – 14 of whom died – during the same period in Chicago.
A further eight people were injured in Forth Worth, Texas, after two groups of men engaged in an argument that escalated to involve guns. In Norfolk, Virginia, four children were shot on Friday afternoon but are expected to recover – a 15-year-old boy has been arrested in connection.
The statistics from the weekend are particularly damning at a time when regulation concerning gun control has come under intense scrutiny.
Over the past few months, several major cities around the U.S., New York included, have experienced a surge in violent crime. Incidents in the Big Apple alone spiked as much as 40% when compared with the same period between January and July last year (2020).
Eyes now naturally turn to President Biden, who is facing calls to tighten restrictions where gun control is concerned.
Back in March, he said: “I don’t need to wait another minute, let alone an hour, to take common-sense steps that will save lives in the future.”
Yet while plans may be in the works to try to lessen the damage, certain states have taken significant backward steps. Only recently did Texas usher in legislation allowing people to carry handguns without a permit so long as they don’t have a criminal record.
Where do you stand on gun violence? And what is the answer? Will tighter restrictions help the problem?
Let us know in the comments box on Facebook, and share this article to keep the debate going.
