As the country marked its fifth anniversary of the Pulse nightclub massacre, which took place in Orlando, Florida, it has a grim and staggering new statistic to contend with this year.
So far, in 2021, the country has suffered a total of 272 mass shootings. And in just a span of two days from June 11 to 13, at least 9 people were killed and around 47 were injured in mass shootings that took place in six states.
A 4-year-old and an 18-month-old were two of the youngest victims in the latest string of mass shootings in the country, authorities said.
According to data from the Gun Violence Archive, the total number of mass shootings is around 40% higher right now than it was in 2020, and about 65% higher than it was in 2019.
There were an estimated 194 mass shootings in the country during the same period in 2020 and an estimated 164 mass shootings in 2019. This weekend’s mass shootings include incidents in Illinois, Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, Washington state, and Texas.
“We are saddened that Austin has joined the far too lengthy list of communities that have experienced mass shootings,” said Dewitt Peart, the President and CEO of the Downtown Austin Alliance, in a statement. He added, “Our nation has endured heartbreak time and time again resulting from the acts of deranged individuals intent on killing and harming others. This senseless violence must end.”