Gun violence increasing in the United States (includes video story)

Gun violence continues to increase in the United States. Dozens have been left injured or dead in the last six days all across the nation. 

The most recent happened just yesterday in Boynton Beach. Officials are looking for suspects who fired at a vehicle on I-95. The victims drove themselves to Bethesda East Hospital, where one of them died. 

Just last week, another shooting occurred in West Palm Beach. Two people were killed inside a Publix — a grandmother and a toddler. The gunman also shot himself. He was later identified by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office as Timothy Wall. 

Neighboring states like Georgia have also had a spike in mass shootings. This past Monday night, a security guard was shot in the abdomen while working in an Atlanta mall. The victim is being treated but remains in critical conditions. 

“They approached him with a gun, and so from there the investigation will tell us exactly what transpired,” stated Atlanta Deputy Chief Timothy Peek. 

Texas also faced back-to-back mass shootings. In downtown Austin, 14 people were shot and injured, leaving one individual dead. Mayor Steve Adler said: “Just a horrific event and it’s becoming something that’s all too often being presented.” 

Some local leaders, such as Savannah, Georgia Mayor Van Johnson, also called for action, fearing gun violence will only continue to rise.

“The reality is in Georgia we can’t be mad that guns are everywhere when Georgia law allows guns to be everywhere,” says Johnson. “We not only need to have stronger gun laws in Georgia and nationally, but we also need to have is to teach our young people better decision making.”

Zitlali Solache is a student in Florida International University, pursuing her Masters degree in Spanish-Language Broadcast Journalism. Zitlali Solache is Mexican American and has a passion for storytelling and news. She has interned for WPBT PBS, WSVN Channel 7 and STEP Univision. After graduation, Zitlali aspires to become a reporter/anchor in her hometown Miami, FL.