Published 14:27 IST, August 4th 2019
After Texas, second mass shooting in US's Ohio leaves nine dead
In another incident of gun violence in the United States, nine people in Ohio have been killed in the second mass shooting in less than 24 hours, and the suspected shooter is also known to be deceased, according to police reports.
In another incident of gun violence in the United States, nine people in Ohio have been killed in the second mass shooting in less than 24 hours, and the suspected shooter is also known to be deceased, according to police reports.
Ohio's Dayton police notified that an active shooter situation began in the Oregon District at 1:22 AM, but that officers nearby were able to "put an end to it quickly." At least 16 others were taken to local hospitals with injuries, police said.
Miami Valley Hospital spokeswoman Terrea Little said 16 victims have been received at the hospital, but she couldn't confirm their conditions. Kettering Health Network spokeswoman Elizabeth Long said multiple victims from a shooting had been brought to system hospitals but didn't have details on how many.
The Oregon District is a historic neighborhood near downtown Dayton that's home to entertainment options, including bars, restaurants, and theaters. Police have not said where in the district the shooting took place.
The FBI is assisting with the investigation.
The Ohio shooting came hours after a young man opened fire in a crowded El Paso, Texas, shopping area, leaving 20 dead and more than two dozen injured.
A witness who gave her name as Vanessa said she had just pulled into the parking lot at Walmart and "all of a sudden you heard what sounded like fireworks, really loud fireworks." "You could hear the pops, one right after another and at that point, as I was turning, I saw a lady, seemed she was coming out of Walmart, headed to her car. She had her groceries in her cart and I saw her just fall," she told media.
The White House said President Donald Trump, who is spending the weekend at his golf club in New Jersey, had been told about the Texas shooting. Trump had spoken to Attorney General Bill Barr and Texas Governor Greg Abbott about the shooting. Abbott called the shooting "a heinous and senseless act of violence," adding that "our hearts go out to the victims." It has been a particularly bad week for gun violence in the United States.
Last Sunday, a 19-year-old gunman opened fire at the Gilroy Garlic Festival in northern California, killing three, including two children.
US Gun laws
Despite a series of incidences of gun violence in the US in the past few years, the law reforms towards gun control reforms have been very little.
According to US laws, a majority of their citizens commonly own and carry a gun. In the country, it is looked like a person's basic right.
The gun laws in the US go back in 1791, and when the country was founded, the right to own and carry a gun was a part of the US Constitution.
However, rules for gun ownership depends on a person's criminal record or a history of mental illness. The gun laws in the US vary in different US states, wherein some states follow stricter norms than others.
Pertaining to the horrific incidences of gun violence, debates have revolved around gun law reforms, wherein US citizens have argued with the example of New Zealand, who banned semi-automatic and military-style firearms days after the horrific shooting in two Christchurch mosques, killing 50 people from the Muslim community.
According to international news reports, while the US has less than 5% of the world's population, but has almost half of the world's guns owned by civilians.
Updated 14:38 IST, August 4th 2019