The Associated Press, USA Today, and Northeastern University’s database show the bloodiest six months of mass killings in the US since 2006. All except one of the 28 mass shootings from January 1 to June 30, 2023, included weapons. Week after week, violence and sadness exacerbated the death toll.
The alarming figures have spurred gun control efforts. Brent Leatherwood, a prominent Tennessee Republican whose children were present during a school massacre, says weapons should be kept away from potentially dangerous people. Even in a state with weak gun regulations, he stresses reform.
Mass murders in the first half of 2023 broke the previous record of 27 established in the second half of 2022. James Alan Fox, criminology professor, and database manager, is alarmed by these numbers. Mass shootings account for a small percentage of gun violence, but the growing numbers are troubling.
A larger population and more guns are blamed for mass shootings. Keep in mind that these instances are statistically infrequent. Mass shootings typically spark calls for gun control change, but adopting such legislation is difficult.
Republican Tennessee Governor Bill Lee wants “red flag laws” to keep dangerous people from getting guns. Brent Leatherwood and others are pushing for gun restrictions despite opposition. The National Rifle Association (NRA) opposes gun control, arguing that restricting weapons will empower criminals. The NRA defends law-abiding Americans’ self-defense.
Victims and survivors of mass shootings, like Tito Anchondo, whose brother was killed in the 2019 El Paso mass shooting, share their concerns about the continued slaughter and the absence of serious action. Anchondo worries about his nephew, who will attend school alongside gun-toting classmates.
Mass murders may drop in the second half of 2023 or follow the pattern set in the first six months. Experts anticipate violence would decrease, but time will tell.
