In many cases on this blog, I’ve gone back through the years to post details of mass shootings in schools, places of worship, and other public locations in the U.S. I’ve tried to provide names of those involved (excluding the perpetrators), because I think it’s important that we recognize and remember those whose lives were cut short by gun violence in mass events.
It’s not only daunting to do the research, it takes an emotional toll on me. I greatly admire tireless gun reform advocates like Gabby Giffords, concerned citizens, parents, and former students who constantly push for awareness and real efforts to address this problem.
Here’s a look back at statistics from 2023 with only the barest of details and limited to schools and places of worship.
I got that information from a Wikipedia site that includes a much longer and more detailed chart you can review on that page, which details mass shootings at places along with schools and churches, including residences, public areas, and businesses. A total of 754 people were killed and 2,443 other people were injured in 604 shootings.
It’s overwhelming.
To pretend we don’t have an epidemic of gun violence in this country is the worst kind of hubris.