One of the gunmen in Philadelphia was shot at three times by an officer, but managed to flee. The police have not arrested anyone yet. The incident happened shortly before midnight (local time) in a nightlife area. Two semi-automatic handguns and many bullet casings were found near the incident. The injured have been taken to hospitals. It is unknown how they are doing.
The Tennessee shooting happened in a bar. Of the fatalities, one succumbed to injuries sustained when he was hit by a vehicle while fleeing from the gunman. Fourteen people were also injured, police said.
According to the Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit research group, there have been at least 239 mass shootings in the US so far this year. The organization defines a mass shooting as a shooting in which at least four people are shot, not counting the shooter. Last night’s two shootings are not even included in the figure.
US President Joe Biden has called on parliament to ban assault weapons, expand background checks and pass other measures to reduce gun ownership and mass shootings.
Chris Murphy, the Democratic U.S. senator who is negotiating gun safety with Republicans in the Senate, said Sunday he thinks a bill that includes investments in mental health and school safety, plus some changes to gun laws, has a chance of passing in Congress.
A broad majority of American voters, both Republicans and Democrats, support stricter gun laws. However, Republicans in Congress and some Democrats from sparsely populated states have been blocking such legislation for years.