Topline
Nine people, including two minors, were injured in a mass shooting early on Wednesday in Washington, D.C., according to police, the latest in a series of mass shootings that took place across the country over the long Fourth of July weekend.
Meade Street as seen after multiple people were shot there in Washington, D.C., early Wednesday … [+] morning.
Key Facts
In a statement issued on Twitter, D.C. Metropolitan Police said the department’s officers responded to reports of a shooting at 1 a.m. in a neighborhood in the city’s northeast.
Upon arriving at the scene, police found “multiple victims” with gunshot wounds and helped transport them to nearby hospitals.
D.C. Police Assistant Chief Leslie Parsons said all nine victims have non-life-threatening injuries.
The ages of the adult victims were not revealed, but Parsons said the two minors injured in the incident were ages 9 and 17.
The police are looking for a “dark-colored SUV” as they believe the driver of this vehicle drove into the neighborhood, stopped and “fired shots at some of our residents that were outside just celebrating the Fourth of July.”
Police believe the shooting was targeted, Parsons added.
Big Number
16. That is the total number of mass shootings reported across the U.S. over the Fourth of July weekend, according to the Gun Violence Archive. So far in 2023, GVA’s tracker has recorded 350 mass shootings across the U.S., which means this year remains on track to be the deadliest for mass shootings in recent years.
Key Background
On Monday night, a gunman killed 5 people and injured 2 children in Philadelphia. A day earlier 2 people were killed and at least 28 others were injured in a shooting at a holiday weekend block party in Baltimore. On Tuesday, 3 people were killed and 8 others were injured after multiple gunmen opened fire at a crowd of hundreds of people who had gathered for a festival in Fort Worth, Texas.
Crucial Quote
In a statement issued on Tuesday, President Joe Biden commented on the shootings across the country, saying: “Over the last few days, our nation has once again endured a wave of tragic and senseless shootings in communities across America. . . . Jill and I grieve for those who have lost their lives as our nation celebrates Independence Day.” He then reiterated calls for tougher gun control measures, adding: “It is within our power to once again ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, to require safe storage of guns, to end gun manufacturers’ immunity from liability and to enact universal background checks.”
Further Reading
Biden Responds As Dozens Shot In July 4 Mass Shootings (Forbes)
