Over the weekend of April 19, there were back-to-back fatal shootings in the United States, resulting in the deaths of at least nine people from Chicago and Austin. Together, reports of six large-scale shootings in 2021 alone represent a shocking pattern of extended violence. Nevertheless, these shootings are not talked about enough, and serve as yet another reminder that gun violence in the United States is not going away; we need to act immediately to prevent further loss of life.

In 2020, the United States reported a record high of 610 mass shootings, killing around 20,000 people. This was the highest ever reporting since the Gun Violence Archive began reporting in 2014. According to Forbes, the United States is on track to have around 511 mass shootings in 2021.

Mass shootings have been a serious issue in the United States for years. Several major shootings have sparked renewed national conversation about gun control, especially in the wake of mass shootings at Sandy Hook, Conn. and in Parkland, Fla. However, these conversations should have been happening years prior. More importantly, the government must heed the call of activists and implement gun control laws to end this horrific reality that continues to occur everyday in the United States. These shootings demonstrate the simple truth that gun violence is still extremely prevalent, and will not simply go away unless immediate action is taken. U.S. President Joe Biden has recently addressed a plan to end gun violence and calls on Congress to pass the legislation to reduce gun violence. However, it is no secret that the U.S. government works slowly and decisions that could save lives could take years to implement. Gun violence has gone on far too long and too many lives have been lost for the government to not be handling this with the utmost urgency. 

Below is a timeline of some of the recent mass shootings in the United States found from CNN:

April 17 Columbus, Ohio: In Columbus, Ohio, a shooting took place at a vigil which left one dead and five others wounded. No suspects are in custody.

April 17 LaPlace, La.: Nine young adults were wounded during a shooting in the suburbs of New Orleans.

April 16 Detroit: Four people were wounded during a shooting at a vigil. The shooter remains unknown.

April 15 Indianapolis: A shooting at a FedEx facility left eight people killed and several others seriously wounded,

April 15 Pensacola, Fla.: Six people were wounded at a shooting located at an Escambia County apartment building. No suspects are in custody.

April 15 Washington, D.C.: A shooting in Northeast D.C. left four people seriously wounded.

April 13 Baltimore: Four people were wounded when two people brought out their guns.

April 12 Chicago: Four people were shot, one fatally on the Eisenhower expressway

April 11 Wichita, Kan.: A shooting at a house party left one person killed and three others injured.

April 11 Seattle: Four people were wounded after a violent shooting, one including a toddler.

April 10 Memphis, Tenn.: A shooting in a Memphis neighborhood left one person killed and three others injured.

April 10 Koshkonong, Miss.: A convenience store shooting left one person killed and three others injured.

April 10 Waterbury, Conn.: Police found four dead after reports of a weapons complaint.

April 10 Allendale, Mich.: A house party shooting left four people shot and one seriously injured.