US President Joe Biden, on Tuesday, called for stricter gun control measures. The president made the comments after a wave of shootings rocked the US amid the 4th of July celebrations. "Over the last few days, our nation has once again endured a wave of tragic and senseless shootings in communities across America," Biden said in a statement, AFP reported.
"As our nation celebrates Independence Day, we pray for the day when our communities will be free from gun violence," Biden said. On Monday, five people were killed and four injured in a shooting in Philadelphia.
And in another shooting late on Tuesday night, three people were killed and eight others injured when shots were fired into a crowd of hundreds following a festival in a Texas neighbourhood. The shooting happened in the historically black Fort Worth neighbourhood. It happened just hours after the end of the Independence Day celebration called ComoFest.
In the Philadelphia shooting, the shooter, who was wearing a bulletproof vest, surrendered to the police. On Sunday, in Baltimore, two people were killed and 28 others were wounded in a shooting at a holiday weekend block party.
According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 11 incidents of gun violence in July so far. "Much more must be done... to address the epidemic of gun violence that is tearing our communities apart," Biden said.
Last year, at a Fourth of July parade in Illinois, a gunman killed seven and wounded dozens. Post the event, the state moved to ban the sale of certain semi-automatic guns. "Much more must be done... to address the epidemic of gun violence that is tearing our communities apart," Biden said, praising gun control measures passed in Illinois after the Highland Park attack.
