A wave of mass shootings and violence throughout the United States over the weekend killed at least six people, including a Pennsylvania state policeman, and injured dozens more, news agency Associted Press (AP) reported. The shootings come after a spike in killings and other forms of violence in recent years, which scientists suggest was amplified by the coronavirus outbreak. They took place in Chicago suburbs, Washington state, central Pennsylvania, St. Louis, Southern California, and Baltimore.
Professor of public policy and statistics at Carnegie Mellon University, Daniel Nagin said: "There’s no question there’s been a spike in violence. Some of these cases seem to be just disputes, often among adolescents, and those disputes are played out with firearms, not with fists," AP reported.
The cause of the surge is being debated by researchers. According to Nagin, theories include the potential that violence is caused by the proliferation of weapons in America, less aggressive police methods, or a decrease in convictions for misdemeanour weapon offences.
As of Sunday evening, none of the weekend occurrences qualified as mass killings since less than four individuals were killed at each site. The shooter is not included in the illustration. However, the number of injured in the majority of cases corresponds to the commonly accepted definition of mass shootings.
Chicago
Authorities said at least 23 people were shot, one passing away early Sunday in a suburban Chicago parking lot where scores of people were celebrating Juneteenth.
The DuPage County sheriff's office reported a "peaceful gathering" in Willowbrook, Illinois, that became violent when a number of persons fired numerous bullets into the crowd. Willowbrook is roughly 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Chicago.
The reason for the attack was not immediately clear. According to the Daily Herald, Sheriff's spokesman Robert Carroll said detectives were investigating "persons of interest" in the incident.
Washington
On Saturday night, a gunman opened fire "randomly" into a gathering at a Washington state campsite where many people were camping to attend a local music festival, killing two people and injuring two more, according to authorities.
Several hundred yards from the Beyond Wonderland electronic dance music event, the suspect was shot and brought into custody during a confrontation with law enforcement personnel.
A public notice warned of an active shooter in the vicinity, advising residents to "run, hide, or fight."
Pennsylvania
On Saturday, a gunman stormed a state police barracks in central Pennsylvania, killing one state trooper and badly injuring another.
Authorities said the man drove his pickup into the Lewistown barracks parking area about 11 a.m. Saturday and opened fire with a large-caliber rifle on marked patrol cars before leaving.
According to Lt. Col. George Bivens, who went up in a helicopter to coordinate the hunt for the 38-year-old suspect, the suspect was shot and killed after an intense gunbattle.
A public notice warned of an active shooter in the vicinity, advising residents to "run, hide, or fight."
St. Louis
A 17-year-old was murdered and nine other adolescents were injured in a shooting early Sunday in a downtown St. Louis office building, according to the city's police commissioner.
Makao Moore, 17, was identified as the person slain by St. Louis Metropolitan Police Commissioner Robert Tracy. A police official stated a youngster with a firearm was being held as a person of interest.
When the gunfire broke out at 1 a.m. Sunday, teenagers were enjoying a party in an office space.
The victims ranged in age from 15 to 19 years old and had several gunshot wounds. Tracy stated that a 17-year-old girl was stomped as she ran, critically damaging her spine.
Southern California
Authorities reported Saturday that a gunshot at a pool party at a Southern California residence injured eight people.
Authorities were called just after midnight in Carson, California, south of Los Angeles, according to KABC-TV.
The victims vary in age from 16 to 24, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. According to the statement, they were rushed to hospitals and two were classified in critical condition.
When officers arrived to a complaint about a car that had smashed into a nearby wall, they discovered another 16-year-old kid with a gunshot wound.
Baltimore
Six individuals were hurt in a shooting in Baltimore on Friday night. Everyone was anticipated to live.
Officers responded to gunfire in the city's north shortly before 9 p.m. and discovered three guys with multiple gunshot wounds. Medics transported them to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Three additional victims with non-life threatening gunshot wounds were eventually identified by police.
The injured varied in age from 17 to 26, according to Baltimore Police Department spokesman Lindsey Eldridge.
San Francisco
Six individuals were injured in a "car-to-car" shooting in San Francisco's streets on Sunday evening, according to police.
Two people were injured, one critically, in the ensuing gunfight, which began just before 7 p.m., according to San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott at a press conference on Sunday.
According to Scott, suspects in two automobiles, a black SUV and a white sedan, "drove very recklessly and chased each other while engaged in gunfire" along the northern shore. Fisherman's Wharf is one of the city's busiest tourist attractions.