Another Independence Day Weekend Tarnished by Needless Gun Violence

NEW YORK – Independence Day celebrations over the holiday weekend were once again interrupted by hundreds of shootings across the country. According to the Gun Violence Archive, the holiday weekend saw a total of 266 shootings.The explosion of gun violence seen over the holiday weekend comes as the Trump administration announced the rollback of over three dozen firearm regulations, including abandoning a crackdown on illegal gun sales. 

A snapshot of the gun violence over Independence Day Weekend:

• New York City, NY: A Saturday shooting at a July 4th barbecue on Coney Island left 8 people wounded, including four children. 
• Pensacola, FL: A teen gathering on July 4th turned deadly in downtown Pensacola after a 19-year-old was shot and killed and six others were wounded overnight.
• San Antonio, TX: A shooting outside an apartment complex on Saturday night killed an 18-year-old and wounded five others, including two young children. 
• Dallas, TX: Early Sunday morning, four individuals were wounded by gunfire in three separate incidents within an hour of each other. 
• Chicago, IL: Six people, aged 17 to 20, were wounded in a shooting early Sunday morning in West Garfield Park.
• Westerville, OH: An individual was left critically wounded after being shot after Westerville’s Independence Day celebration Saturday evening. 
• Coligny Beach, SC: Eight people were wounded after teenagers began firing at each other on Coligny Beach on Saturday night.

“Living in fear of gun violence is not, and will never be, freedom,” said Angela Ferrell-Zabala, Executive Director of Moms Demand Action. “When the gun industry and their allies in the White House prioritize profits over people, none of us are safe. We must not accept the devastating violence over the holiday weekend as inevitable. We all must continue to work together to fight for gun safety policies that will save lives and protect our communities.”

If you are interested in speaking with a policy expert or a volunteer with Moms Demand Action or Students Demand Action, please reach out to [email protected].