9 dead after 3 more shootings in the US

Less than 48 hours after the gruesome mass shooting in California’s Los Angeles where a gunman opened fire at a Chinese New Year dance event, three more shootings in northern California and Iowa were reported, leaving another 9 dead, according to media reports.

Two of the shootings reportedly occurred in farms at Half Moon Bay, near San Francisco. Seven people are said to have died as a result of the shootings and a 67-year-old local resident, identified in media reports as Chunli Zhao, has reportedly been taken into custody in relation to the shootings.

The victims include Chinese and Latino farmworkers, Half Moon Bay Vice Mayor Joaquin Jimenez stated to media outlets.

“At the hospital meeting with victims of a mass shooting when I get pulled away to be briefed about another shooting. This time in Half Moon Bay. Tragedy upon tragedy,” stated California Governor Gavin Newsom on Twitter.

At the hospital meeting with victims of a mass shooting when I get pulled away to be briefed about another shooting. This time in Half Moon Bay.

Tragedy upon tragedy.

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) January 24, 2023

The third shooting was reported in Des Moines in Iowa, which took the lives of two students and injured three others. The shooting occurred at Starts Right Here, an educational mentorship programme for at-risk youths.

Aged 18 and 16, the two deceased students succumbed to injuries after being hospitalized. William Holmes, the 49-year-old founder-CEO of Starts Right Here, was reportedly hospitalised and is said to be in critical condition, according to media outlets.

Last year alone, the US faced as many as 647 incidents of mass shooting, according to media reports.