The U.S. saw a spate of shootings during the Christmas weekend that left at least 14 people dead and 16 others injured.
Among the victims was a young child under five in Kansas City. The violence also affected cities such as Denver, Philadelphia, and Chicago.
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According to The Sun, on Christmas Eve, a young boy in Kansas was tragically killed in a shooting incident that is believed to have been an accident. When police arrived at the scene, they found the child critically wounded and performed life-saving measures, but unfortunately, he passed away later that night.
In Colorado, six people lost their lives due to gun-related crimes, causing shock and distress in the affected communities. As reported by The Denver Post, in Aurora, authorities are investigating two double homicides that took place on Christmas Eve. Police were called to a residence on Boston Street for a welfare check and found two adults with gunshot wounds, who were pronounced dead on the scene.
As of now, no arrests have been made in connection with the incident, and authorities are working to determine the relationship between the two victims. On the same evening, the police received a report of a shooting in the 17500 block of East Tennessee Place. Upon arriving at the scene, officers found two men outside the property with gunshot wounds. They were transported to the hospital for treatment, but unfortunately, they passed away shortly after. No arrests have been made in connection with this incident.
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The U.S. Sun also cited that in Thornton, Colorado, police believe a murder-suicide occurred at a Jehovah's Witnesses Kingdom Hall. According to authorities, an adult male is suspected of shooting and killing an adult female before turning the gun on himself. The two were married and previous members of the Kingdom Hall congregation. Furthermore, on Friday, a shooting occurred inside the Mall of America, resulting in the death of a man. As the incident unfolded, customers and NFL players sought refuge in saferooms before the Bloomington Police arrived and secured the mall. The victim has been identified as a 19-year-old Black man, according to Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges. The Mall of America is the largest in the United States, and the incident occurred during a busy Christmas shopping season.
Several shootings occurred in Chicago during the Christmas weekend, injuring at least seven people, including teenagers. CBS Chicago said that on Saturday evening, a 55-year-old man was shot in the hand and was taken to a local hospital, where he was listed in good condition, according to police. In another incident, a 48-year-old man was struck in hand by a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was brought to the hospital in good condition.
Later that night, an officer fired at three suspects after witnessing a shooting and struck two people, a 54-year-old man, and a 17-year-old teenage boy, in unknown condition. Another 32-year-old man was also shot and injured during an argument later that night and is in fair condition. Additionally, two more people were struck in shootings early Sunday morning and are also in satisfactory condition, according to police.
In Detroit, shootings over the Christmas weekend resulted in the deaths of two people and the injury of three others. In a report by The Detroit News, officers responded to a report of a person down and found a person dead inside a car with a gunshot wound. Later that afternoon, police responded to another shooting and found another person dead. In addition, two separate shootings on Saturday left three people injured. One victim was left in critical condition, while the others were stable. The circumstances surrounding these incidents are unclear.
On Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia, a man was shot and killed inside a Sheraton Hotel. CBS reported that the victim was struck in the forehead and died at the scene; no arrests have been made regarding the incident. In Hartford, Connecticut, three shooting incidents over the weekend left at least three people with injuries.
In Durham, North Carolina, a man, and a woman were shot on Christmas Day. WTVD said that the woman sustained non-life-threatening injuries, but the man tragically died from his wounds, according to police. In a shooting that happened in Baltimore on Christmas Eve, a teenager was also hurt. The 16-year-old youngster was a shooting victim who walked into a nearby hospital seeking care. It is uncertain how he is doing.
According to The Mercury News, a second man was shot dead in West Oakland, California, early Sunday. Police in Phoenix, Arizona, is looking into a gunshot that happened on Saturday and left a man in critical condition. And on Christmas Eve, a standoff in Florida resulted in the fatal shooting of a cop. Officials serve a warrant for a man accused of domestic violence at a townhouse in Fort Walton Beach. The man opened fire from inside the house after refusing to cooperate.
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