Over the weekend, back-to-back deadly shootings involving multiple victims took place around the country, from Chicago to Austin, Texas, killing at least nine people.
The incidents follow several other mass shootings in the United States this year. According to NBC News, at least six large-scale shootings have occurred in 2021.
NBC News defines a mass shooting as a single incident involving three or more people who have been shot — either injured or killed — in a public place, excluding the shooter. The network does not consider isolated fights, including gang and drug violence, domestic disputes, and robberies turned violent as mass shooting incidents.
Not all of the fatal incidents over the weekend meet NBC News' criteria; however, the series of shootings is a grim reminder of the growing number of gun violence incidents in the United States this year.
Here’s a list of six deadly shootings that happened over the weekend:
Chicago
A 7-year-old girl was killed, and her father was wounded in a shooting at a McDonald's drive-thru Sunday afternoon, NBC affiliate WMAQ of Chicago reported. The child and her father were inside a car when they were shot, authorities said.
The girl sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Her father, 29, was shot in the torso and is in serious condition. No one has been arrested in this case.
Austin, Texas
On Sunday, three people died in a shooting in Austin, Texas, according to officials. The Austin police said the victims were two Hispanic females and a Black male but did not release their ages. Authorities said two of the victims, Willie Simmons III and Alyssa Broderick, were high school students. The incident appeared to be "a domestic situation that is isolated, and there is no risk to the general public," police said.
The suspect, Stephen Broderick, 41, was captured walking along a rural road Monday, according to authorities. Broderick is a former Travis County sheriff's detective who was charged with sexual assault of a child in June, NBC affiliate KXAN of Austin said.
Kenosha, Wisconsin
A shooting at a Wisconsin bar early Sunday left three people dead and three others injured, authorities said. A person was asked to leave the bar and then returned and allegedly opened fire; however, it remains unclear whether the victims knew the shooter.
The Kenosha County Sheriff's Department said the person was arrested on suspicion of first-degree intentional homicide and was taken into custody after detectives followed multiple leads and reviewed surveillance video.
Columbus, Ohio
On Saturday night, one person was killed and five people, including a 12-year-old, were injured in a shooting, NBC News affiliate WCMH-TV of Columbus reported. The group had gathered at a Dollar General store to honor the death of Jarrin Hickman, who was killed there a year ago.
Officials said around 7:30 p.m., a dark-colored SUV drove by the vigil, and someone inside the vehicle fired into the crowd.
Five people were struck and sustained minor injuries, but Latoya Carpenter, who was driving by the Dollar General, was shot in the head and her vehicle crashed into a parked car, WCMH-TV said. Carpenter was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities are still searching for suspects.
Omaha, Nebraska
Gunfire broke out at a Nebraska mall Saturday, which killed Trequez Swift, 21, and injured Ja'Keya Veland. The suspects fled the scene, but later, two were arrested, the Omaha Police Department said.
A 16-year-old boy was arrested in connection with the shooting Sunday. And a second suspect, Brandon Woolridge-Jones, 18, was arrested on one count of accessory to a felony.
LaPlace, Louisiana
Nine children were injured in a shooting Saturday night at a 12-year-old's birthday party, the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office said in a statement. Authorities said a verbal confrontation led to the gunfire.
Seven people were treated at a local hospital and released, and two remain hospitalized in stable condition.
Officers said they believe “more than 60 young people were gathered at the party” and “two groups of male juveniles with an ongoing feud met up at the house, began arguing and gunfire broke out.” No arrests have been made.
