Mass shootings in the USA saw an upward trend in the last year. The very first incident took place just 19 days into the new year in 2019, where a man was responsible for killing four family members, including his infant daughter. A database compiled by USA Today, Associated Press and North-eastern University in Boston revealed that 2019 recorded more mass killings than any year dating back as long as to the 1970s.
Five months after the first incident, 12 were killed in a workplace shooting in Virginia followed by twenty-two more killings at a Walmart in El Paso in August. The USA witnessed 41 mass killings where four or more people lost their lives. Out of these, 33 were mass shootings and over 210 people were killed without committing any mistake. The majority of the mass killings barely made into national headlines. El Paso, Odessa, Texas, Dayton, Ohio, Virginia Beach, Jersey City were some of the places the mass killings took place. Interestingly, the killings involved familiar people like drug violence, gang violence, family disputes, anger at co-workers or relatives. The main reason for the attacks by the perpetrators remains a mystery.
Firearms were used in as many as eight mass killing incidents. Knives, axes were other weapons that were used at least twice. A mobile home was set on fire in one of the incidents, killing all those present inside. As many as nine shootings took place in public places. Others were in a bar, homes or at workplaces. Former Vice President Joe Biden was very vocal about gun-safety reforms in his Presidential campaign. He termed the year 2019 as the year of record violence and a complete failure by President Donald Trump.
2019 was a year of record violence — it will be a moral failure if we allow 2020 to be the same. We have to elect leaders with the courage to take on the @NRA and pass common-sense gun safety reform. We have to end this epidemic. https://t.co/Qhv4SVzc9X
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) December 31, 2019