Another gun attack in the United States: a man shoots six people, including his ex-wife, in the small US town of Arkabutla. President Joe Biden is dismayed - and again calls for tightening of gun laws.
Six people were killed in a gun attack in a small community in the US state of Mississippi on Friday. The six people were shot dead in multiple locations in the town of Arkabutla, south of Memphis, Tennessee, Tate County Police said. A suspect has been arrested. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves wrote on Twitter that it is currently believed that the suspected shooter acted alone. His motive is still unknown.
According to CNN, the first 911 call reached police around 11am after the suspect allegedly shot and killed a man in his car in a store parking lot in Arkabutla. He was equipped with a shotgun and two pistols. The alleged shooter then went to the store and then drove to his ex-wife's house. There, according to the report, the suspect first shot his ex-wife and then her fiancé, who was also in the apartment. Three other victims were found near the suspect's home.
The United States has long struggled with massive levels of gun violence. Fatal gun attacks are common. US President Joe Biden expressed his dismay at the latest attack in Mississippi and once again called on Congress to tighten gun laws in the country, for example to ban assault rifles. "Gun violence is an epidemic and Congress must act now," Biden said.
There are public calls for legal reforms in the USA after every major firearm attack - but without any success. Many Republicans in Congress have been opposed to stricter regulations for years. Even the fact that children often fall victim to guns hasn't changed that. According to the White House, more school-age children have been killed by gunfire in the past two decades than active-duty police officers and soldiers combined.
