US tops 200 mass shootings so far in 2023: Monitor

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US has endured over 200 mass shootings as it enters just the fifth month of 2023, a gun violence monitor reported Monday.

In total, there have been 202 mass shootings, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive, an independent non-profit that tracks US gun violence. The monitor defines a mass shooting as any event in which four or more people are shot or killed, excluding the shooter.

Over 14,800 people have died as a result of gun violence, including mass shootings and other incidents, including suicides. Over 6,300 people died as a result of homicide while nearly 8,450 have died from suicide. Over 11,700 people have been injured in shootings across the US.

Nearly 620 children and young people, or those younger than 18, have died so far this year as a result of gun violence, according to the archive. Almost 1,500 have been injured.

The staggering figures come on the heels of yet another devastating mass shooting this weekend that left eight victims dead, including children, and injured several others, at a shopping mall near Dallas, Texas.

The shooter, whom authorities identified as Mauricio Garcia, 33, opened fire at the Allen Premium Outlets using what President Joe Biden called an "AR-15 style assault weapon." He was fatally shot by a police officer who was near the mall when the shooting took place.

Authorities have yet to publicly identify all of the victims, but multiple reports have said children are among the dead. Multiple reports have indicated that law enforcement is actively seeking to determine whether this weekend's shooting was motivated by neo-Nazi or white supremacist beliefs.

Assault rifles, which are capable of quickly firing at multiple targets and can be fitted with high-capacity magazines, have been frequently used to carry out mass shootings in the US.

Biden has repeatedly called for lawmakers to ban them. The chances of that happening, however, appear slim, with fierce opposition coming from Republicans and conservatives more generally.

"Too many families have empty chairs at their dinner tables. Republican Members of Congress cannot continue to meet this epidemic with a shrug. Tweeted thoughts and prayers are not enough," he said.

"Once again I ask Congress to send me a bill banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Enacting universal background checks. Requiring safe storage. Ending immunity for gun manufacturers. I will sign it immediately. We need nothing less to keep our streets safe," he added.