Police reported that two people were killed and five were injured in a shooting near a school graduation ceremony in Virginia, on the east coast of the United States. This incident comes amid an epidemic of mass shootings in the country.
The shooting took place at around 17:00 local time (21:00 GMT) outside a theater in Richmond, the state capital, where students from a local school were celebrating their graduation. Acting Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards briefed reporters on the tragic situation. An 18-year-old recent graduate and a 36-year-old man lost their lives in the incident. Of the five injured, one was in critical condition. Edwards described the scene as chaotic, with people scattering amid the chaos.
A 19-year-old suspect fled the scene but was arrested shortly thereafter and will be charged with second-degree murder. Although the police chief did not mention a possible motive for the crime, he stated that the suspect knew at least one of the victims. Several guns were recovered at the crime scene.
The United States, with more guns than inhabitants, records the highest rate of gun deaths among all developed countries. In 2021, there were 49,000 deaths from this cause, surpassing the previous year’s 45,000. This tragedy once again highlights the urgent need to address the problem of gun violence in the country.