Violent holiday weekend across the United States with several mass shootings
WASHINGTON -- There are new, urgent calls from President Joe Biden for tougher gun laws, as cities nationwide from Fort Worth to the nation's capital come to grips after a series of deadly mass shootings surrounding the Fourth of July holiday.
In Washington, DC, police confirmed that multiple people were shot overnight as the president, again presses Congressional Republicans to help develop bipartisan gun solutions amid a recent spike in mass shootings.
From Fort Worth to Baltimore, there is frustration and grief after gunfire ripped through communities and claimed lives.
"This country needs to re-examine its conscience and find out how to get guns out of dangerous people's hands," said Jim Kenny, (D) Mayor of Philadelphia.
In Philadelphia, authorities say a gunman wearing a ski mask and bulletproof vest opened fire, killing five people, and injuring two boys ages 2 and 13.
The gunman surrendered to responding Philadelphia police officers.
In Fort Worth, police are investigating after three people were killed, and eight other hurt in a shooting at a neighborhood festival.
In Wichita, at least seven people suffered gunshot wounds and two others were trampled at a mass shooting at a nightclub.
Investigators also continue a search for answers in Baltimore, where multiple gunman are believed to have open fire at a block party with 28 shot and at least two killed.
Speaking to a group of educators on the Fourth of July, President Biden urged Congressional Republicans to pass gun safety reform to protect the nation's schools and communities.
Last year, congress passed a bi-partisan gun legislation that included $750 million to help states remove firearms from people deemed to be a personal or public danger, and strengthened background checks for gun buyers younger than 21.
The gun violence archive, which tracks U.S. mass shootings involving at least four victims, already counts more than 340 mass shootings. That's more shootings than days so far this year.
