Tragedies can occur from more directions. Some of them affect nature, such as a massive oil spill. Some others affect people.
Mass shooting represents an unfortunate reality in the USA. Sure, laws are getting stricter and stricter, as well as background checks and requirements. But at the end of the day, guns can sometimes get into the wrong hands.
Most of these people do have some background signs that should be picked on by the authorities.
It’s not like someone goes to a guns and ammo search engine like GunsNPrices to find a rare or sophisticated firearm to use on people later. Instead, such incidents are usually caused by troubled people who should never be allowed to own a gun in the first place.
With these thoughts in mind, here are some of the most serious tragedies involving mass shootings in the USA.
- Las Vegas, Nevada, 2017
In 2017, a gunman started shooting at a crowd during the Route 91 Harvest festival. He did it from his room at a nearby hotel. He spent more than 15 minutes shooting at people, without anyone figuring out where the bullets were coming from.
He killed 58 people and injured nearly 900 people. He committed suicide before the police SWAT team could get to him. It’s one of the deadliest mass shootings in the modern history of the country.
- Orlando, Florida, 2016
A gay nightclub was targeted by a lunatic in 2016. He managed to kill 49 people, while more than 50 people were wounded. The police managed to kill him before he could cause even more damage. Many victims were Latino, as the nightclub was having a Latin Night event.
Despite the attacker claiming to be an ISIS militant, the police found no evidence between him and the terrorist organization.
- Blacksburg, Virginia, 2007
The massacre took place at the campus of the Virginia Tech University. It’s not just one of the deadliest tragedies in the country, but also one of the most significant ones involving schools and learning institutions. The gunman was one of the seniors in the school.
He attacked the campus in two different sessions. Altogether, he killed 32 people, both students and instructors. The attacks spread over two hours. He managed to kill himself before getting caught.
- Newton, Connecticut, 2012
An elementary school was targeted by a gunman in 2012, who started shooting at anyone showing up in front of him. Not less than 27 people were killed, six of them being teachers. All students were aged between six and seven.
The attack involved more than just the school assault. Just before going to the school, the gunman shot his own mother back home. As the police arrived at the institution, he committed suicide.
- Sutherland Springs, Texas, 2017
This attack shocked an entire community. It took place at the First Baptist Church in a small community of just 600 people. The attacker was wearing professional tactical gear and used a semiautomatic rifle to kill 26 people and injure 22 more.
He was found dead after a car chase, so he never got to answer for his actions.
At the moment, it’s the deadliest church shooting in the history of the country. Finding a reason for this tragedy is nearly impossible.
- Killeen, Texas, 1991
An attacker drove through the front window of a restaurant in Killeen in what appeared to be an accident. However, after injuring more people, he came out of the pickup truck and started shooting at everyone. Customers and staff were targeted altogether.
He managed to kill 23 people and injure 27 before committing suicide.
- El Paso, Texas, 2019
The attacker posted an anti-immigrant rant before actually doing the attack, blaming a Hispanic invasion of the state. He traveled 650 miles to reach a Walmart in El Paso in the summer of 2019 and killed 23 people. He also injured 23 other people.
He will spend the rest of his life in prison after receiving multiple life sentences.
Final words
The list can definitely go further, and such tragedies are still popping up in the news every now and then. These deadly events serve as stark reminders of the urgent need for comprehensive measures to address gun violence and enhance mental health support systems.
Loss of life is just as harmful as loss of nature, but hopefully, laws and regulations will go in the right direction to prevent such incidents in the future.