There have been more mass shootings than days in 2023 according to a database published by the Gun Violence Archive. 

A mass shooting is described as involving 4 or more victims of firearm abuse at one or more locations close together. In 2022, statistics show that more than 40,000 U.S. gun deaths were recorded, rising to the highest level in nearly three decades. 

After incidents like Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo, New York, in 2022, you would think that gun control would finally be reformed. But as numbers rise for this year, authorities can only anticipate that the mass shooting numbers will surpass last year’s record. 

Here is a look at the major mass shootings that have occurred just this year: 

Michigan State University: 

Three students were pronounced dead and five were wounded after a gunman took fire at Michigan State University on February 13, 2023. 

Dallas apartment shooting: 

Four people were killed, and two suspects have been arrested after a shooting at a Dallas apartment on March 12, 2023. 

Monterey Park: 

Eleven people were killed and nine were injured after a shooting at Monterey Park, California on January 21, 2023. 

The Covenant School Shooting Tennessee: 

Six killed, including three children, in Tennessee school shooting, on March 27, 2023.  

These are just a few examples of the tragic events that have taken place this year. After each incident, more and more cities mourn the lives lost from guns. More communities have to learn how to cope with this unbearable grief, and they shouldn’t have to be! Our society doesn’t need assault weapons as a blanket of security. 

A common rebuttal against this argument is that guns are not the problem, it is mental illness. After the devastating Uvalde shooting that resulted in 21 victims, Connecticut senator Chris Murphy went viral for his passionate speech about gun violence. He said, “Spare me the bullshit about mental illness. We don’t have any more mental illness than any other country in the world. You cannot explain this through a prism of mental illness, because we don’t — we’re not an outlier on mental illness. We’re an outlier when it comes to access to firearms and the ability of criminals and very sick people to get their hands on firearms. That’s what makes America different.” 

Not to say mental health isn’t a serious issue in which people can still be dangerous to themselves or others, but even if mental health improves, gun violence will still exist. 

After everything that has happened and after all the deaths our country has mourned, we are done being paralyzed in terms of enacting change. When there is an uproar from activists all over the world calling for gun reform, we must listen because these gun reforms can save lives. 

Supporting legislation calling for gun control including measures to ban assault weapons, enacting more background checks, and reducing gun theft and trafficking can help support the cause. Recently, President Joe Biden announced new actions to reduce gun violence. He announced that the executive order would have the goal of increasing the number of background checks conducted before firearm sales were made official. Along with this, the executive order increases the effective use of “red flag” laws, which would make efforts to hold the gun industry accountable stronger. It would also accelerate law enforcement efforts to identify the shooters attacking our communities. Last year, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act was signed into law by Biden, which was the most significant gun violence reduction act in nearly 30 years. While this is a step in the right direction, calls are still being made for congressional action. 

Just days ago, President Biden passed the responsibility to Congress, asking them to ban assault weapons after six people were killed in Nashville. Biden claimed that there was nothing else he could do, and that the power lies in Congress. He is being criticized on social media and by his competitors for his remarks. Either way, Biden, along with the rest of the country, is begging for change. 

Mass shootings have become too common. Senseless gun violence can be stopped if something happens. Gun reform is essential to protecting innocent lives. Ultimately, America must recognize that gun accessibility is the problem associated with gun violence. Once guns are seen as the main cause for violence, a national goal of firearms not being needed can be put in place.