2022 second worst ever for mass shootings in US history

This year is probably going to down in the history of the US as one during which the second-highest number of mass shootings took place, according to data gathered by the Gun Violence Archive, a non-profit that keeps track of nationwide gun violence incidents.

As per the Gun Violence Archive, a “mass shooting” is one in which at least four people are shot, excluding the perpetrator.

So far this year, there have been over 607 mass shootings as of 22 November, which is just short of the 638 mass shootings in the country at this point last year, which is marked as the worst year on record since the organization began tracking them in 2014.

In 2021, there were a total of 690 mass shootings. With more than a month left in 2022, the number of mass shootings in the US is probably about to surpass the 610 recorded in 2020.

Just three days after five people lost their lives in a shooting rampage at an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado, a mass shooting at a Walmart in Virginia’s Chesapeake on Tuesday killed six, including a 16-year-old boy and injured four people.

In the past week alone, mass shootings have claimed the lives of at least 24 people and has injured 37 in gun rampages across seven states, reported the Gun Violence Archive. As of now in 2022, there have been more mass shootings than days, a trend that has persisted every year since 2019 and highlights the rising prevalence of gun violence in American society.

A three-year rise that started in 2020 is quite evident in the rate of mass shootings this year. The total annual number of mass shootings has increased from 417 to 610 during 2019 and 2020. In 2021, it increased once again, to 690.

So far this year, over 3,179 people are shot in mass shootings that led to 637 fatalities and left 2,500 people injured. In 2021, there were at least 3,267 people shot resulting in 645 deaths. While in 2020, 2,873 people were shot at and 463 deaths were reported.

In November itself, there have been reports of 32 mass shootings across the country that resulted in more than 177 people being shot and 43 lives being lost. From November last year through the 22nd, 36 mass shootings occurred,160 people were shot at and 34 of them were declared dead.

How many guns are there in America?

The country’s mass shootings have drawn attention to the fact that the United States is the most heavily armed country in the world. According to a 2018 report by the Small Arms Survey, a Geneva-based organization, there were 393.3 million guns in circulation in 2018.

The US is reportedly the only country with more civilian-owned guns than people and had about 120.5 firearms per 100 residents, according to the Small Arms report. Yemen followed with 52.8 per 100 residents, Canada with 34.7, and France and Germany both with 19.6.

More recent data suggests that gun ownership grew significantly over the last few years. A study by the Annals of Internal Medicine in February found that 7.5 million US adults, which make up under three per cent of the population, became the first new gun owners between January 2019 and April 2021.

US gun killings VS gun killings in other countries

As per a report by the CDC, nearly 53 people are killed each day by guns in the country. The data suggests 43 per cent of the deaths, amounting to 19,384 people, were homicides. The per cent has increased from 34 per cent in 2019 to 75 per cent in the previous decade. The report also suggests that the majority of the murders, i.e., 79 per cent were carried out using guns.

In comparison to other countries such as Canada, Australia, and England, the number is significantly high. As per the CDC report, Canada reported 37 per cent of gun killings in 2020, while Australia witnessed 13 per cent, and the UK only four per cent.

Only 52% support gun control in the US

Despite vocal public outrage in the wake of the mass shootings, according to polling by Gallup, US support for stricter gun laws in 2020 fell to its lowest level since 2014. Only 52 per cent of the US population supported stricter gun laws, while 35 per cent said they should remain as it is. Surprisingly, 11 per cent of the American population said that gun laws should be ‘made less strict’.

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