Chicago marches against gun violence after an alarming increase in crime

Three years after a man went on a shooting spree in Las Vegas, a US court has approved a settlement of $800 million for the victims and their families.

In 2017,&nbsp;Stephen Paddock opened fire on a huge crowd on the 32nd floor of the&nbsp;Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino with high-powered rifles. There were nearly a thousand people attending an outdoor country music festival when he unleashed nearly thousand rounds of gun shots, which injured around 800 people and killed 58 attendees.

It is known as the country;s one of the worst shooting incidents.

A US court has now, on the third anniversary of the tragic incident, approved a $800 million settlement, of which $49 million will be paid by the casion's owner&nbsp;MGM Resorts International "of its own funds" and the remaining amount will be paid from insurers.

"We are grateful that the decision brings families, victims and the community closer to closure," MGM told local agency AFP.

"It is especially meaningful that the decision comes one day before the third anniversary of the incident, a time of great sadness and reflection."

However,&nbsp;MGM Resorts International still claims to not be responsible for many of this. In 2018, MGM had to file a counter-suit to protect itself from allegations and blame of being parlay to this tragedy and was sued by victims&nbsp;on grounds of negligence, provided that Paddock had managed to sneak in the rifles into the hotel.

In her order Wednesday, Clark County District Court Judge Linda Bell noted "the extraordinary work and effort by counsel in this case to achieve the maximum amount available to claimants... despite having an immensely difficult, unique, and tragic set of circumstances."

Paddock killed himself with a gunshot the same day in his hotel room.&nbsp;In August 2018, authorities ended their probe of the shooting without learning Paddock's motive.

(With inputs from agencies)

Three years after a man went on a shooting spree in Las Vegas, a US court has approved a settlement of $800 million for the victims and their families. In 2017, Stephen Paddock opened fire on a huge crowd on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino with high-powered rifles.

Three years after a man went on a shooting spree in Las Vegas, a US court has approved a settlement of $800 million for the victims and their families. In 2017, Stephen Paddock opened fire on a huge crowd on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino with high-powered rifles. There were nearly a thousand people attending an outdoor country music festival when he unleashed nearly thousand rounds of gun shots, which injured around 800 people and killed 58 attendees. It is known as the country;s one of the worst shooting incidents. A US court has now, on the third anniversary of the tragic incident, approved a $800 million settlement, of which $49 million will be paid by the casion's owner MGM Resorts International "of its own funds" and the remaining amount will be paid from insurers. "We are grateful that the decision brings families, victims and the community closer to closure," MGM told local agency AFP. "It is especially meaningful that the decision comes one day before the third anniversary of the incident, a time of great sadness and reflection." However, MGM Resorts International still claims to not be responsible for many of this. In 2018, MGM had to file a counter-suit to protect itself from allegations and blame of being parlay to this tragedy and was sued by victims on grounds of negligence, provided that Paddock had managed to sneak in the rifles into the hotel. In her order Wednesday, Clark County District Court Judge Linda Bell noted "the extraordinary work and effort by counsel in this case to achieve the maximum amount available to claimants... despite having an immensely difficult, unique, and tragic set of circumstances." Paddock killed himself with a gunshot the same day in his hotel room. In August 2018, authorities ended their probe of the shooting without learning Paddock's motive. (With inputs from agencies)

An $800 mn settlement approved for Las Vegas mass shooting

A grand jury considering the March killing of Breonna Taylor, a Black medical worker, in her home in Louisville, Kentucky, on Wednesday voted to indict at least one of three white police officers for wanton endangerment, a judge said.

Jefferson Circuit Judge Annie O'Connell read the grand jury's decision in open court.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/sports/tennis-ace-naomi-osaka-wears-mask-in-memory-of-breonna-taylor-at-us-open-324775" hreflang="en">Tennis ace Naomi Osaka wears mask in memory of Breonna Taylor at US Open</a>

Police shot Taylor, 26, in front of her boyfriend after they forced their way into her apartment with a so-called "no knock" warrant.

Taylor's death, alongside that of George Floyd, a Black man who died in May after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck, helped spark a nationwide wave of protests demanding racial justice and an end to the use of excessive force by law enforcement.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/entertainment/beyonce-pens-open-letter-seeking-justice-for-breonna-taylor-306041" hreflang="en">Beyonce pens open letter seeking justice for Breonna Taylor</a>

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron was due to hold a news conference to announce about the grand jury's decision Detective Brett Hankison, Sergeant Jonathan Mattingly and Detective Myles Cosgrove.

Ahead of the announcement, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer announced a 72-hour curfew for the city beginning at 9 p.m., with exceptions for those going to work or to seek medical treatment.

A grand jury considering the March killing of Breonna Taylor, a Black medical worker, in her home in Louisville, Kentucky, on Wednesday voted to indict at least one of three white police officers for wanton endangerment, a judge said.

A grand jury considering the March killing of Breonna Taylor, a Black medical worker, in her home in Louisville, Kentucky, on Wednesday voted to indict at least one of three white police officers for wanton endangerment, a judge said. Jefferson Circuit Judge Annie O'Connell read the grand jury's decision in open court. Also read: Tennis ace Naomi Osaka wears mask in memory of Breonna Taylor at US Open Police shot Taylor, 26, in front of her boyfriend after they forced their way into her apartment with a so-called "no knock" warrant. Taylor's death, alongside that of George Floyd, a Black man who died in May after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck, helped spark a nationwide wave of protests demanding racial justice and an end to the use of excessive force by law enforcement. Also read: Beyonce pens open letter seeking justice for Breonna Taylor Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron was due to hold a news conference to announce about the grand jury's decision Detective Brett Hankison, Sergeant Jonathan Mattingly and Detective Myles Cosgrove. Ahead of the announcement, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer announced a 72-hour curfew for the city beginning at 9 p.m., with exceptions for those going to work or to seek medical treatment.

Kentucky grand jury indicts at least one of three officers in Breonna Taylor case

Ten men were killed on Saturday when gunmen opened fire on a drugs rehabilitation centre in the Mexican city of Irapuato, the government of Guanajuato state said.

Guanajuato, a region in central Mexico, has become one of the principal flashpoints of surging gang violence which President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has promised to quell.

But despite lockdown measures imposed to combat the coronavirus outbreak, homicides continue to test record levels.

The state government said in a late Saturday statement that according to preliminary findings, three unidentified assailants shot up the rehab centre in Irapuato, an industrial hub south of the state capital, also named Guanajuato.

Meanwhile, police are also investigating the killing of three men shot dead in a separate attack on Saturday in the city of Celaya, southeast of Irapuato, the state government said.

Rehab centres have previously been targeted by criminal gangs waging turf wars for control of the drug business.

In September 2017, at least 14 people were killed and several wounded in an attack by suspected gangsters on a drug rehab centre in the northern city of Chihuahua.

Ten men were killed on Saturday when gunmen opened fire on a drugs rehabilitation centre in the Mexican city of Irapuato, the government of Guanajuato state said.

Ten men were killed on Saturday when gunmen opened fire on a drugs rehabilitation centre in the Mexican city of Irapuato, the government of Guanajuato state said. Guanajuato, a region in central Mexico, has become one of the principal flashpoints of surging gang violence which President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has promised to quell. But despite lockdown measures imposed to combat the coronavirus outbreak, homicides continue to test record levels. The state government said in a late Saturday statement that according to preliminary findings, three unidentified assailants shot up the rehab centre in Irapuato, an industrial hub south of the state capital, also named Guanajuato. Meanwhile, police are also investigating the killing of three men shot dead in a separate attack on Saturday in the city of Celaya, southeast of Irapuato, the state government said. Rehab centres have previously been targeted by criminal gangs waging turf wars for control of the drug business. In September 2017, at least 14 people were killed and several wounded in an attack by suspected gangsters on a drug rehab centre in the northern city of Chihuahua.

Ten shot dead in attack on Mexican drug rehabilitation centre

The Pentagon announced today that it would enforce new restrictions on international military students in terms of access to guns on United States bases.

This news came in after a Saudi officer killed three American sailors at a naval base in Florida last month. 
 
"Getting back to work does not mean getting back to business as usual. Going forward we will put several new policies and security procedures in place," Garry Reid, a senior Pentagon intelligence official, said in a statement.

<h6><img alt="naval" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2dafe4ee-d01a-459e-b8be-40b7c0c721bc" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%284%29_18.jpg" /> 
Image:&nbsp;This handout photo released on December 7, 2019 by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shows FBI Evidence Response Team after a shooting incident at a naval base in Pensacola, Florida on December 6, 2019 | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

Besides the three sailors who were killed, eight others were injured in the attack at the Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida. The gunman, Saudi Air Force Second Lieutenant Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani was later shot dead by a deputy sheriff.

In the aftermath of the attack, the US retaliated by grounding all Saudi pilots and restricting the 850 Saudi military personnel by limiting them to classroom training as part of a ''safety stand-down''. New vetting procedures may also show up.

<h6><img alt="Pensacola" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f74135e4-4463-431b-bc6b-681f78a7b572" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%282%29_35.jpg" /> 
Image:&nbsp;Traffic on and off base is restricted after a member of the Saudi Air Force visiting the United States for military training was the suspect in a shooting at Naval Air Station&nbsp;Pensacola, in&nbsp;Pensacola, Florida, US&nbsp;December 6, 2019 | Reuters 
 
Reid further added that normal functioning and training across military departments would resume soon once new procedures are put in place.&nbsp;</h6>

The US Defence Secretary Mark Esper will visit the base in Pensacola in Florida next week. Esper is expected to brief the base leadership.

(With inputs from Reuters)

The Pentagon announced today that it would enforce new restrictions on international military students in terms of access to guns on United States bases. This news came in after a Saudi officer killed three American sailors at a naval base in Florida last month.

The Pentagon announced today that it would enforce new restrictions on international military students in terms of access to guns on United States bases. This news came in after a Saudi officer killed three American sailors at a naval base in Florida last month. "Getting back to work does not mean getting back to business as usual. Going forward we will put several new policies and security procedures in place," Garry Reid, a senior Pentagon intelligence official, said in a statement. Image: This handout photo released on December 7, 2019 by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shows FBI Evidence Response Team after a shooting incident at a naval base in Pensacola, Florida on December 6, 2019 | AFP Besides the three sailors who were killed, eight others were injured in the attack at the Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida. The gunman, Saudi Air Force Second Lieutenant Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani was later shot dead by a deputy sheriff. In the aftermath of the attack, the US retaliated by grounding all Saudi pilots and restricting the 850 Saudi military personnel by limiting them to classroom training as part of a ''safety stand-down''. New vetting procedures may also show up. Image: Traffic on and off base is restricted after a member of the Saudi Air Force visiting the United States for military training was the suspect in a shooting at Naval Air Station Pensacola, in Pensacola, Florida, US December 6, 2019 | Reuters Reid further added that normal functioning and training across military departments would resume soon once new procedures are put in place. The US Defence Secretary Mark Esper will visit the base in Pensacola in Florida next week. Esper is expected to brief the base leadership. (With inputs from Reuters)

Pentagon restricts access to guns for foreign trainees

The Pentagon announced on Tuesday it was halting <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/florida-base-shooting-probe-trump-saudi-crown-prince-vow-to-cooperate-267259">operational training of all Saudi Arabian military</a> personnel in the United States until further notice after a Saudi Air Force lieutenant shot and killed three people last week at a base in Florida.

The decision will have far-reaching impacts on visiting Saudi personnel, including grounding more than 300 Saudi Arabian military aviation students as part of a "safety stand-down," first reported by Reuters earlier on Tuesday.

The Pentagon later confirmed the Reuters report about aviation students and added the move would also affect infantry personnel and all other Saudi training, other than classroom training. Such coursework, which includes English-language classes, will continue.

A senior US&nbsp;defence official, briefing Pentagon reporters on the decision, said the move was intended to allow for a broader review of security procedures that would eventually apply to all of some 5,000 international military students in the United States.

Still, the safety standdown only applied to the some 850 visiting students from Saudi Arabia. The defence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the shooting "suggested that there could be a particular improvement with that (nation's) population."

"I don't have any evidence to suggest that there is a larger ring or larger conspiracy," the official said, when asked what was driving the safety-standdown.

The FBI has said US&nbsp;investigators believe Saudi Air Force Second Lieutenant Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani, 21, acted alone when he attacked a US&nbsp;Navy base in Pensacola, Florida, on Friday, before he was fatally shot by a deputy sheriff.

The shootings have again raised questions about the US&nbsp;military relationship with Saudi Arabia, which has come under heightened scrutiny in Congress over the war in Yemen and Saudi Arabia's killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi last year.

Still, US&nbsp;military leaders have sought to portray this as a localised issue which would not affect the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-military-training-in-us-under-scrutiny-after-base-attack-267060">overall US-Saudi relationship</a>.

Navy spokeswoman Lieutenant Andriana Genualdi said the safety standdown and operational pause began on Monday for Saudi Arabian aviation students.

She said the grounding included three different military facilities: Naval Air Station Pensacola, Naval Air Station Whiting Field and Naval Air Station Mayport, all in Florida.

The Air Force said its groundings of Saudi aviation students also applied to additional US&nbsp;bases.

"Given the traumatic events, we feel it is best to keep the Royal Saudi Air Force students off the flying schedule for a short time," the Air Force spokeswoman said.

Alshamrani was on the base as part of a US&nbsp;Navy training program designed to foster links with foreign allies. He had started training in the United States in 2017 and had been in the Pensacola area for the past 18 months, authorities said.

A group that tracks online extremism has said Alshamrani appeared to have posted criticism of US&nbsp;wars in predominantly Muslim countries and quoted slain al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden on Twitter hours before the shooting spree.

Watch: Saudi King reaches out to Donald Trump

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/florida-naval-base-shooting-saudi-king-reaches-out-to-donald-trump-266874/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

US-Saudi relations

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fbi-thinks-saudi-shooter-acted-alone-florida-governor-decries-deep-seated-hatred-267095">The attack</a> comes as President Donald Trump's administration has maintained warm ties with Riyadh amid high tensions with Middle East rival Iran.

US&nbsp;Defence Secretary Mark Esper has dismissed suggestions that the shootings might make him more reluctant about new US&nbsp;deployments to Saudi Arabia, which were announced in October and first reported by Reuters.

"Saudi Arabia is a longstanding partner of ours in the region. We share mutual security interests," Esper said over the weekend.

Esper said he had instructed the armed forces to review both security at military bases and screening for foreign soldiers who come to the United States for training after the shooting.

In the wake of the shootings, the US&nbsp;Northern Command immediately ordered all military installations to review force protection measures and to increase "random security measures."

A Northern Command spokesman said local commanders in the United States also had the authority to "add further countermeasures as needed," without elaborating as to which, if any, bases did so.

The Pentagon announced on Tuesday it was halting operational training of all Saudi Arabian military personnel in the United States until further notice after a Saudi Air Force lieutenant shot and killed three people last week at a base in Florida.

The Pentagon announced on Tuesday it was halting operational training of all Saudi Arabian military personnel in the United States until further notice after a Saudi Air Force lieutenant shot and killed three people last week at a base in Florida. The decision will have far-reaching impacts on visiting Saudi personnel, including grounding more than 300 Saudi Arabian military aviation students as part of a "safety stand-down," first reported by Reuters earlier on Tuesday. The Pentagon later confirmed the Reuters report about aviation students and added the move would also affect infantry personnel and all other Saudi training, other than classroom training. Such coursework, which includes English-language classes, will continue. A senior US defence official, briefing Pentagon reporters on the decision, said the move was intended to allow for a broader review of security procedures that would eventually apply to all of some 5,000 international military students in the United States. Still, the safety standdown only applied to the some 850 visiting students from Saudi Arabia. The defence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the shooting "suggested that there could be a particular improvement with that (nation's) population." "I don't have any evidence to suggest that there is a larger ring or larger conspiracy," the official said, when asked what was driving the safety-standdown. The FBI has said US investigators believe Saudi Air Force Second Lieutenant Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani, 21, acted alone when he attacked a US Navy base in Pensacola, Florida, on Friday, before he was fatally shot by a deputy sheriff. The shootings have again raised questions about the US military relationship with Saudi Arabia, which has come under heightened scrutiny in Congress over the war in Yemen and Saudi Arabia's killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi last year. Still, US military leaders have sought to portray this as a localised issue which would not affect the overall US-Saudi relationship. Navy spokeswoman Lieutenant Andriana Genualdi said the safety standdown and operational pause began on Monday for Saudi Arabian aviation students. She said the grounding included three different military facilities: Naval Air Station Pensacola, Naval Air Station Whiting Field and Naval Air Station Mayport, all in Florida. The Air Force said its groundings of Saudi aviation students also applied to additional US bases. "Given the traumatic events, we feel it is best to keep the Royal Saudi Air Force students off the flying schedule for a short time," the Air Force spokeswoman said. Alshamrani was on the base as part of a US Navy training program designed to foster links with foreign allies. He had started training in the United States in 2017 and had been in the Pensacola area for the past 18 months, authorities said. A group that tracks online extremism has said Alshamrani appeared to have posted criticism of US wars in predominantly Muslim countries and quoted slain al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden on Twitter hours before the shooting spree. Watch: Saudi King reaches out to Donald Trump US-Saudi relations The attack comes as President Donald Trump's administration has maintained warm ties with Riyadh amid high tensions with Middle East rival Iran. US Defence Secretary Mark Esper has dismissed suggestions that the shootings might make him more reluctant about new US deployments to Saudi Arabia, which were announced in October and first reported by Reuters. "Saudi Arabia is a longstanding partner of ours in the region. We share mutual security interests," Esper said over the weekend. Esper said he had instructed the armed forces to review both security at military bases and screening for foreign soldiers who come to the United States for training after the shooting. In the wake of the shootings, the US Northern Command immediately ordered all military installations to review force protection measures and to increase "random security measures." A Northern Command spokesman said local commanders in the United States also had the authority to "add further countermeasures as needed," without elaborating as to which, if any, bases did so.

US grounds Saudi pilots, suspends military training after shooting at base

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/three-injured-in-shooting-at-hawaiis-pearl-harbour-base-266276">A US sailor fatally shot two people</a> and wounded a third at the Pearl Harbour Naval Shipyard in Hawaii on Wednesday before committing suicide, an official said.

The two people killed were Department of Defence civilian employees, while a third civilian was wounded but "in stable condition at (an) area hospital," the official said.

A spokeswoman for the Joint Base Pearl Harbour-Hickam confirmed that a shooting had taken place but declined to give any further details.

"The incident occurred at approximately 2:30 pm. Due to the ongoing security incident, access/gates to #JBPHH are closed," the base said on Twitter.

NBC affiliate Hawaii News Now, citing a base spokesman, said at least three people had been wounded in the attack, which took place at Drydock 2 of the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.

An unnamed witness told Hawaii News Now in an on-air interview that he had seen the gunman put a gun to his head and shoot himself. The gunman was wearing a US&nbsp;Navy uniform, the witness told the station.

Watch: United States' bloody history of mass shootings

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/united-states-bloody-history-of-mass-shootings-240651/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Hawaii News Now earlier reported that two of the victims were in grave condition at local hospitals.

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam is a combined US&nbsp;Air Force and Navy Installation located 13 km&nbsp;from Honolulu.

The base was put on lockdown for about two hours after the shooting.

The incident comes three days before the anniversary of the December&nbsp;7, 1941 attack on the naval base that led the United States to enter World War Two by declaring war on Japan.

(With inputs from agencies)

A US sailor fatally shot two people and wounded a third at the Pearl Harbour Naval Shipyard in Hawaii on Wednesday before committing suicide, an official said. The two people killed were Department of Defence civilian employees, while a third civilian was wounded but "in stable condition at (an) area hospital," the official said.

A US sailor fatally shot two people and wounded a third at the Pearl Harbour Naval Shipyard in Hawaii on Wednesday before committing suicide, an official said. The two people killed were Department of Defence civilian employees, while a third civilian was wounded but "in stable condition at (an) area hospital," the official said. A spokeswoman for the Joint Base Pearl Harbour-Hickam confirmed that a shooting had taken place but declined to give any further details. "The incident occurred at approximately 2:30 pm. Due to the ongoing security incident, access/gates to #JBPHH are closed," the base said on Twitter. NBC affiliate Hawaii News Now, citing a base spokesman, said at least three people had been wounded in the attack, which took place at Drydock 2 of the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. An unnamed witness told Hawaii News Now in an on-air interview that he had seen the gunman put a gun to his head and shoot himself. The gunman was wearing a US Navy uniform, the witness told the station. Watch: United States' bloody history of mass shootings Hawaii News Now earlier reported that two of the victims were in grave condition at local hospitals. Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam is a combined US Air Force and Navy Installation located 13 km from Honolulu. The base was put on lockdown for about two hours after the shooting. The incident comes three days before the anniversary of the December 7, 1941 attack on the naval base that led the United States to enter World War Two by declaring war on Japan. (With inputs from agencies)

Hawaii: Two killed, one injured in Pearl Harbour shooting

A US Navy sailor opened fire at the historic military base at Pearl Harbor, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hawaii-governor-declares-emergency-for-maui-wildfires-235492">Hawaii</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday, base officials said, with local media reporting that at least three people were wounded, two of them critically, before the suspect took his own life.

A spokeswoman for the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam confirmed that a shooting had taken place but declined to give any further details.

"The incident occurred at approximately 2:30 pm. Due to the ongoing security incident, access/gates to #JBPHH are closed," the base said on Twitter, adding that officials would provide further information when it became available.

NBC affiliate Hawaii News Now, citing a base spokesman, said at least three people had been wounded in the attack, which took place at Drydock 2 of the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.

An unnamed witness told Hawaii News Now in an on-air interview that he had seen the gunman put a gun to his head and shoot himself. The gunman was wearing a US&nbsp;Navy uniform, the witness told the station.

Watch: United States' bloody history of mass shootings

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/united-states-bloody-history-of-mass-shootings-240651/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Hawaii News Now reported that two of the victims were in grave condition at local hospitals.

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam is a combined US&nbsp;Air Force and Navy Installation located 13 km&nbsp;from Honolulu.

The base was put on lockdown for about two hours after the shooting.

The incident comes three days before the anniversary of the December&nbsp;7, 1941 attack on the naval base that led the United States to enter World War Two by declaring war on Japan.

A US Navy sailor opened fire at the historic military base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on Wednesday, base officials said, with local media reporting that at least three people were wounded, two of them critically, before the suspect took his own life.

A US Navy sailor opened fire at the historic military base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on Wednesday, base officials said, with local media reporting that at least three people were wounded, two of them critically, before the suspect took his own life. A spokeswoman for the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam confirmed that a shooting had taken place but declined to give any further details. "The incident occurred at approximately 2:30 pm. Due to the ongoing security incident, access/gates to #JBPHH are closed," the base said on Twitter, adding that officials would provide further information when it became available. NBC affiliate Hawaii News Now, citing a base spokesman, said at least three people had been wounded in the attack, which took place at Drydock 2 of the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. An unnamed witness told Hawaii News Now in an on-air interview that he had seen the gunman put a gun to his head and shoot himself. The gunman was wearing a US Navy uniform, the witness told the station. Watch: United States' bloody history of mass shootings Hawaii News Now reported that two of the victims were in grave condition at local hospitals. Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam is a combined US Air Force and Navy Installation located 13 km from Honolulu. The base was put on lockdown for about two hours after the shooting. The incident comes three days before the anniversary of the December 7, 1941 attack on the naval base that led the United States to enter World War Two by declaring war on Japan.

US Navy sailor injures three at Hawaii's Pearl Harbour base, kills self

The U.S. Supreme Court's consideration of a major gun rights case could end in a misfire, with the justices on Monday (December 2) debating whether to dismiss a challenge backed by the powerful National Rifle Association to a New York City handgun ordinance.

U.S. Supreme Court justices debate whether to dismiss major gun case

Four people were shot dead and six others wounded while watching a football game in the backyard of a central&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/first-pics-from-the-scene-of-california-shooting-239142">California</a>&nbsp;home on Sunday, police said.

"Three people died on the scene," deputy Fresno police chief Michael Reed told reporters.

"One was critical and... succumbed to his injuries" after being rushed to a hospital, he added.

Police were called to the scene after at least two people snuck into the backyard of a home in Fresno, around 320 kilometres&nbsp;north of Los Angeles, and opened fire.

Earlier,&nbsp;the Fresno Bee newspaper reported that&nbsp;several people had&nbsp;died and at least nine were injured in the aftermath of a mass shooting in southeastern California's Fresno. 
 
Lt&nbsp;Bill Dooley told the Bee&nbsp;that at least nine people had sustained injuries after a "mass casualty" shooting incident in the backyard of a house, which left "several" people dead. 
 
"Officers arrived on the scene,&nbsp;what we found were several individuals deceased in the backyard. We do have multiple shooting victims. We’re not releasing the total number yet," Dooley said.

No information about the shooter has been made public yet,&nbsp;with Dooley saying that "unknown suspects" had opened fire and then ran away. 
 
According to him, a family gathering was taking place in a backyard when the attack took place. 
 
Additionally, the victims have been taken to a local hospital.

(With inputs from Sputnik and AFP)

Four people were shot dead and six others wounded while watching a football game in the backyard of a central California home on Sunday, police said. "Three people died on the scene," deputy Fresno police chief Michael Reed told reporters.

Four people were shot dead and six others wounded while watching a football game in the backyard of a central California home on Sunday, police said. "Three people died on the scene," deputy Fresno police chief Michael Reed told reporters. "One was critical and... succumbed to his injuries" after being rushed to a hospital, he added. Police were called to the scene after at least two people snuck into the backyard of a home in Fresno, around 320 kilometres north of Los Angeles, and opened fire. Earlier, the Fresno Bee newspaper reported that several people had died and at least nine were injured in the aftermath of a mass shooting in southeastern California's Fresno. Lt Bill Dooley told the Bee that at least nine people had sustained injuries after a "mass casualty" shooting incident in the backyard of a house, which left "several" people dead. "Officers arrived on the scene, what we found were several individuals deceased in the backyard. We do have multiple shooting victims. We’re not releasing the total number yet," Dooley said. No information about the shooter has been made public yet, with Dooley saying that "unknown suspects" had opened fire and then ran away. According to him, a family gathering was taking place in a backyard when the attack took place. Additionally, the victims have been taken to a local hospital. (With inputs from Sputnik and AFP)

Four killed, six wounded in California backyard shooting: Police

The teenager who <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/police-look-for-motive-behind-california-school-shooting-262348">gunned down classmates</a> at a California high school before shooting himself died Friday, leaving detectives baffled over the motive of a Boy Scout with no obvious alarm bells in his background.

Nathaniel Berhow died in a hospital one day after shooting himself in the head at the end of a 16th birthday rampage that left two fellow students dead.

Berhow had been in critical condition since police officers storming the campus found him lying among the wounded.

The Los Angeles sheriff's department confirmed Berhow died shortly after 3:30 pm (2330 GMT) on Friday.&nbsp;

The puzzle of what led him to open fire at Saugus High School, a short commute from Los Angeles, deepened as a picture emerged of a quiet yet sociable teen who was familiar with guns but had no history of troubling behaviour.

"We know it was a planned attack, it was deliberate... The motive? We don't have it yet," Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva told a news conference.

The victims,&nbsp;a boy and a girl died while another three students were wounded,&nbsp;appeared to have been chosen at random, he said.

"There's no relationships that we can tell (between) the suspect and the victims," Villanueva added, scotching rumours that an ex-girlfriend had been his target.

There was also no history of the teen being bullied.

The FBI earlier said there is no evidence that the suspect had any ideological motives or acted on behalf of any organization. No manifesto or suicide note has been found.

Deepening the riddle, Berhow's late father had owned six registered guns -- but none of them matched the .45 calibre semiautomatic the suspect used.

His proficiency with the weapon during his short, deadly ambush suggested he had been firing guns for some time.

"In 16 seconds he cleared a malfunction and was able to shoot five people and himself, so he seemed very familiar with firing the weapon," said Villanueva.

'Bewildered'&nbsp;

Jared Axen, 33, a next-door neighbour, described Berhow as an introvert who was usually quiet and reserved but who had friends and could readily be engaged in conversation.

"I would see him go back and forth between scouting. I'd see him do a lot of sports-related activities," he told the Los Angeles Times.

School records show Berhow was a keen middle-distance track runner.

Aidan Soto, a fellow scout and student at Saugus, described the suspect as a "good kid," and the last person he would expect to carry out a mass shooting.

"The younger scouts really looked up to him. He was there when they needed him with anything. I'm bewildered and looking for answers."

Although Berhow had no <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-five-wounded-after-shooting-at-california-high-school-officials-262164">evident history of violence</a>, his family life over the past few years had been difficult.

His father, divorced from his mother not long before, died of a heart attack in December 2017.

The father had reportedly suffered from alcohol-related problems, and was at one point suspected of domestic violence but never prosecuted for lack of evidence.&nbsp;

Nonetheless, the father and son were seemingly close.

"He would tell me that he missed his father and that he loved him," Axen said.

'Another innocent person'

The father was a keen hunter whom neighbours would see manufacturing ammunition in his garage. Investigators said they found additional arms at the home, beyond the six registered weapons.

Berhow would sometimes accompany his father on hunting trips, according to Axen,&nbsp;accounting for the deadly accuracy of his shooting.

He also "knew how many rounds he had," noted Villanueva, the sheriff.&nbsp;The teen gunman saved his final bullet for himself.

The students slain by Berhow were identified as Gracie Anne Muehlberger, 15, and a 14-year-old boy.

Messages on Muehlberger's Instagram page read&nbsp;"I miss you so much already love," and "It's so sad that another innocent person has to die."

Another <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/california-two-killed-in-school-shooting-teen-shooter-in-custody-262181">wounded teenager</a> was able to return home Friday morning, and two girls,&nbsp;both operated on for gunshot wounds,&nbsp;should be able to leave the hospital in a few days, say medics.

Tearful prayer vigils were held Thursday night, and all schools in the district remained closed Friday in a mark of respect, Deputy Superintendent Mike Kuhlman said.

The teenager who gunned down classmates at a California high school before shooting himself died Friday, leaving detectives baffled over the motive of a Boy Scout with no obvious alarm bells in his background.

The teenager who gunned down classmates at a California high school before shooting himself died Friday, leaving detectives baffled over the motive of a Boy Scout with no obvious alarm bells in his background. Nathaniel Berhow died in a hospital one day after shooting himself in the head at the end of a 16th birthday rampage that left two fellow students dead. Berhow had been in critical condition since police officers storming the campus found him lying among the wounded. The Los Angeles sheriff's department confirmed Berhow died shortly after 3:30 pm (2330 GMT) on Friday. The puzzle of what led him to open fire at Saugus High School, a short commute from Los Angeles, deepened as a picture emerged of a quiet yet sociable teen who was familiar with guns but had no history of troubling behaviour. "We know it was a planned attack, it was deliberate... The motive? We don't have it yet," Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva told a news conference. The victims, a boy and a girl died while another three students were wounded, appeared to have been chosen at random, he said. "There's no relationships that we can tell (between) the suspect and the victims," Villanueva added, scotching rumours that an ex-girlfriend had been his target. There was also no history of the teen being bullied. The FBI earlier said there is no evidence that the suspect had any ideological motives or acted on behalf of any organization. No manifesto or suicide note has been found. Deepening the riddle, Berhow's late father had owned six registered guns -- but none of them matched the .45 calibre semiautomatic the suspect used. His proficiency with the weapon during his short, deadly ambush suggested he had been firing guns for some time. "In 16 seconds he cleared a malfunction and was able to shoot five people and himself, so he seemed very familiar with firing the weapon," said Villanueva. 'Bewildered' Jared Axen, 33, a next-door neighbour, described Berhow as an introvert who was usually quiet and reserved but who had friends and could readily be engaged in conversation. "I would see him go back and forth between scouting. I'd see him do a lot of sports-related activities," he told the Los Angeles Times. School records show Berhow was a keen middle-distance track runner. Aidan Soto, a fellow scout and student at Saugus, described the suspect as a "good kid," and the last person he would expect to carry out a mass shooting. "The younger scouts really looked up to him. He was there when they needed him with anything. I'm bewildered and looking for answers." Although Berhow had no evident history of violence, his family life over the past few years had been difficult. His father, divorced from his mother not long before, died of a heart attack in December 2017. The father had reportedly suffered from alcohol-related problems, and was at one point suspected of domestic violence but never prosecuted for lack of evidence. Nonetheless, the father and son were seemingly close. "He would tell me that he missed his father and that he loved him," Axen said. 'Another innocent person' The father was a keen hunter whom neighbours would see manufacturing ammunition in his garage. Investigators said they found additional arms at the home, beyond the six registered weapons. Berhow would sometimes accompany his father on hunting trips, according to Axen, accounting for the deadly accuracy of his shooting. He also "knew how many rounds he had," noted Villanueva, the sheriff. The teen gunman saved his final bullet for himself. The students slain by Berhow were identified as Gracie Anne Muehlberger, 15, and a 14-year-old boy. Messages on Muehlberger's Instagram page read "I miss you so much already love," and "It's so sad that another innocent person has to die." Another wounded teenager was able to return home Friday morning, and two girls, both operated on for gunshot wounds, should be able to leave the hospital in a few days, say medics. Tearful prayer vigils were held Thursday night, and all schools in the district remained closed Friday in a mark of respect, Deputy Superintendent Mike Kuhlman said.

Gunman who killed fellow classmates in California dies as police look for motive

At least four people were killed and several wounded in a shooting at a Halloween party near San Francisco, local authorities and media reported.

The shooting took place at a rented Airbnb home around Thursday night in Orinda, around 30 kms&nbsp;northeast of San Francisco, according to NBC Bay Area news.

"Orinda homicide update - four fatalities, several injuries," the Contra Costa County sheriff's office tweeted early Friday.

Three people were killed and nine others wounded in a Halloween party south of Los Angeles late Tuesday, local media reported.

At least four people were killed and several wounded in a shooting at a Halloween party near San Francisco, local authorities and media reported. The shooting took place at a rented Airbnb home around Thursday night in Orinda, around 30 kms northeast of San Francisco, according to NBC Bay Area news.

At least four people were killed and several wounded in a shooting at a Halloween party near San Francisco, local authorities and media reported. The shooting took place at a rented Airbnb home around Thursday night in Orinda, around 30 kms northeast of San Francisco, according to NBC Bay Area news. "Orinda homicide update - four fatalities, several injuries," the Contra Costa County sheriff's office tweeted early Friday. Three people were killed and nine others wounded in a Halloween party south of Los Angeles late Tuesday, local media reported.

Four killed in Halloween shooting in California

Texas&nbsp;police said they were seeking a gunman on Sunday who fired randomly at a Halloween homecoming party packed with hundreds of college students, leaving at least two dead and wounding about a dozen more, before fleeing amid the chaos that followed.

Authorities said they believed the unidentified male suspect may have gone to the sprawling event facility where the off-campus party was held intending to shoot a particular person, and fired his handgun into the crowd afterwards.

"We believe this is a separate incident," Hunt County Sheriff Randy Meeks told a news conference on Sunday morning. "There might have been someone there who was targeted."

The shooting happened around midnight on Saturday in Greenville, about 50 miles&nbsp;northeast of Dallas, shortly after deputies went to a hangar-like facility called The Party Venue to deal with parking violations, Meeks said.

More than 750 partygoers, many of them students at a campus of&nbsp;Texas&nbsp;A &amp; M University in Commerce, about 15 miles&nbsp;away, were at the party when shots were fired near the back of the facility, he said.

"When the shots were fired it was complete chaos as people fled for safety and deputies attempted to locate the shooter," Meeks said, adding that some people cut themselves on broken glass as they tried to squeeze through windows.

A total of 16 people, including four or five students, sought treatment for injuries, 12 of them for gunshot wounds, Meeks said, adding that their conditions were not known. The two partygoers who were killed were not identified.

The investigation, which was being aided by the&nbsp;Texas&nbsp;Rangers and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, was hampered by a lack of cooperation from those in attendance, Meeks said.

"It appals me that as many folks that were there have not been able to give us a better description of this shooter," he said, adding that investigators had interviewed 20 people.

"With this many people there, normally we would have a really good description of the shooter," he added.

Texas police said they were seeking a gunman on Sunday who fired randomly at a Halloween homecoming party packed with hundreds of college students, leaving at least two dead and wounding about a dozen more, before fleeing amid the chaos that followed.

Texas police said they were seeking a gunman on Sunday who fired randomly at a Halloween homecoming party packed with hundreds of college students, leaving at least two dead and wounding about a dozen more, before fleeing amid the chaos that followed. Authorities said they believed the unidentified male suspect may have gone to the sprawling event facility where the off-campus party was held intending to shoot a particular person, and fired his handgun into the crowd afterwards. "We believe this is a separate incident," Hunt County Sheriff Randy Meeks told a news conference on Sunday morning. "There might have been someone there who was targeted." The shooting happened around midnight on Saturday in Greenville, about 50 miles northeast of Dallas, shortly after deputies went to a hangar-like facility called The Party Venue to deal with parking violations, Meeks said. More than 750 partygoers, many of them students at a campus of Texas A & M University in Commerce, about 15 miles away, were at the party when shots were fired near the back of the facility, he said. "When the shots were fired it was complete chaos as people fled for safety and deputies attempted to locate the shooter," Meeks said, adding that some people cut themselves on broken glass as they tried to squeeze through windows. A total of 16 people, including four or five students, sought treatment for injuries, 12 of them for gunshot wounds, Meeks said, adding that their conditions were not known. The two partygoers who were killed were not identified. The investigation, which was being aided by the Texas Rangers and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, was hampered by a lack of cooperation from those in attendance, Meeks said. "It appals me that as many folks that were there have not been able to give us a better description of this shooter," he said, adding that investigators had interviewed 20 people. "With this many people there, normally we would have a really good description of the shooter," he added.

Shooting at packed Texas college party; 2 dead

Long associated with gang violence, the Regent Park neighbourhood of Canada's largest city Toronto has changed. But firearms continue to claim lives, prompting calls ahead of national elections Monday for tougher gun controls.

But those working on the ground to make the community safer and steer youths away from a life of crime say tougher laws are not enough to stem the violence.

"I've seen things here that you only see in movies," said Christopher Rogers, a 35-year-old former gang member who grew up in the neighbourhood and now leads a youth awareness group.

"I have great memories here and I also have very sad memories here, stuff that changed my life and made me who I am today," he adds.

Regent Park was one of the largest social housing projects in Canada when it was erected in the late 1940s, but drug trafficking, shootings and gang activity have since then made it synonymous with crime.

Subject to an ambitious revitalization since 2005, it now looks very different, yet remains a hotbed of violence. Just last month, two young men were wounded in shootings.

Since the beginning of the year, Toronto has been the scene of 370 shootings -- more than twice as many as for the whole of 2014 -- which killed 30 people.

That prompted Mayor John Tory, along with other big-city Canadian mayors facing similar spikes in gun violence, to demand stricter gun controls from the federal government.

Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau proposed a ban on assault rifles but stopped short of the handgun ban sought, saying only that he would help cities to restrict pistols and revolvers.

"You don't need military-grade assault weapons, ones designed to kill the largest amount of people in the shortest amount of time, to take down a deer," he said in Toronto at the start of his re-election campaign in September.

Gangs and smuggling

Conservative leader Andrew Scheer, who is neck-and-neck with Trudeau in the polls, said he supports tougher penalties for gun crimes rather than gun restrictions.

While regulation is essential and proven in Canada, researcher Adam Ellis says the political debate around guns is distracting from substantive issues.

"It's not necessarily the gun itself that's the problem," he told AFP, "The problem is the masculinities that are attached to the gun."

"Let's stop talking about the guns, let's have a bigger real conversation about toxic masculinity in society, how we socialize young boys to feel like they have to be violent... and the only way they can prove their manhood is through a loaded gun," he said.

Police attribute most of the violence to gangs and the many guns being smuggled into the country from a southern neighbour the United States.

In response to the recent spate of shootings, Toronto in August launched an 11-week action plan to boost outreach and policing in hotspots.

Within weeks, police say they made more than 200 arrests and seized a number of guns.

'Harsh reality'&nbsp;

But some experts have criticized the crackdown, saying it is an "emotional response" that will only lead to more violence.

After decreasing between 2009 and 2013, violent gun crimes rose by 42 per cent across Canada in subsequent years to 2017, according to Statistics Canada. The rise was due in large part to the situation in Toronto, the agency said.

Ellis, who left gangsterism to became a criminology researcher at the University of Toronto, said the violence is rooted in social inequities in the city of six million people, where the cost of living, especially housing, has skyrocketed in recent decades.

"We see a lot of young males, and now we find more and more females, drifting toward a gang life as a way to survive," he says.

Ron Chhinzer, a detective in the Toronto Police Gang Prevention Unit, is also concerned about the age of those involved in the violence.

"The harsh reality is that we're seeing kids younger and younger committing more and more violent acts. You're seeing potentially 12 to 13 year-olds with guns," he says. "You're seeing them associated with shootings."

Long associated with gang violence, the Regent Park neighbourhood of Canada's largest city Toronto has changed. But firearms continue to claim lives, prompting calls ahead of national elections Monday for tougher gun controls.

Long associated with gang violence, the Regent Park neighbourhood of Canada's largest city Toronto has changed. But firearms continue to claim lives, prompting calls ahead of national elections Monday for tougher gun controls. But those working on the ground to make the community safer and steer youths away from a life of crime say tougher laws are not enough to stem the violence. "I've seen things here that you only see in movies," said Christopher Rogers, a 35-year-old former gang member who grew up in the neighbourhood and now leads a youth awareness group. "I have great memories here and I also have very sad memories here, stuff that changed my life and made me who I am today," he adds. Regent Park was one of the largest social housing projects in Canada when it was erected in the late 1940s, but drug trafficking, shootings and gang activity have since then made it synonymous with crime. Subject to an ambitious revitalization since 2005, it now looks very different, yet remains a hotbed of violence. Just last month, two young men were wounded in shootings. Since the beginning of the year, Toronto has been the scene of 370 shootings -- more than twice as many as for the whole of 2014 -- which killed 30 people. That prompted Mayor John Tory, along with other big-city Canadian mayors facing similar spikes in gun violence, to demand stricter gun controls from the federal government. Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau proposed a ban on assault rifles but stopped short of the handgun ban sought, saying only that he would help cities to restrict pistols and revolvers. "You don't need military-grade assault weapons, ones designed to kill the largest amount of people in the shortest amount of time, to take down a deer," he said in Toronto at the start of his re-election campaign in September. Gangs and smuggling Conservative leader Andrew Scheer, who is neck-and-neck with Trudeau in the polls, said he supports tougher penalties for gun crimes rather than gun restrictions. While regulation is essential and proven in Canada, researcher Adam Ellis says the political debate around guns is distracting from substantive issues. "It's not necessarily the gun itself that's the problem," he told AFP, "The problem is the masculinities that are attached to the gun." "Let's stop talking about the guns, let's have a bigger real conversation about toxic masculinity in society, how we socialize young boys to feel like they have to be violent... and the only way they can prove their manhood is through a loaded gun," he said. Police attribute most of the violence to gangs and the many guns being smuggled into the country from a southern neighbour the United States. In response to the recent spate of shootings, Toronto in August launched an 11-week action plan to boost outreach and policing in hotspots. Within weeks, police say they made more than 200 arrests and seized a number of guns. 'Harsh reality' But some experts have criticized the crackdown, saying it is an "emotional response" that will only lead to more violence. After decreasing between 2009 and 2013, violent gun crimes rose by 42 per cent across Canada in subsequent years to 2017, according to Statistics Canada. The rise was due in large part to the situation in Toronto, the agency said. Ellis, who left gangsterism to became a criminology researcher at the University of Toronto, said the violence is rooted in social inequities in the city of six million people, where the cost of living, especially housing, has skyrocketed in recent decades. "We see a lot of young males, and now we find more and more females, drifting toward a gang life as a way to survive," he says. Ron Chhinzer, a detective in the Toronto Police Gang Prevention Unit, is also concerned about the age of those involved in the violence. "The harsh reality is that we're seeing kids younger and younger committing more and more violent acts. You're seeing potentially 12 to 13 year-olds with guns," he says. "You're seeing them associated with shootings."

Canada election brings call to arms against gun violence

Unidentified gunmen killed eight people and injured 18 during an overnight attack in northern <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rwanda-welcomes-first-group-of-african-refugees-from-libya-252319">Rwanda</a> near the border with DR Congo, police said Saturday.

The attack took place in Musanze district which attracts tourists because of its Volcanoes National Park and its mountain gorillas, they said.&nbsp;

Six people were killed with machetes or knives and the others were shot dead, a police statement said.

"Security forces were quick to provide emergency services to the residents of the area and investigations are still ongoing to find these terrorists," it added.&nbsp;

The area has repeatedly been targeted by Rwandan rebels operating from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

One such group is the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uganda-rwanda-leaders-sign-pact-in-bid-to-end-standoff-244670">Rwanda</a>, created by Rwandan Hutu refugees in eastern DRC after the genocide of Tutsis by majority Hutus in Rwanda in 1994.

The last attack by rebels in this region happened in December and resulted in the deaths of two Rwandan soldiers.

Unidentified gunmen killed eight people and injured 18 during an overnight attack in northern Rwanda near the border with DR Congo, police said Saturday. The attack took place in Musanze district which attracts tourists because of its Volcanoes National Park and its mountain gorillas, they said.

Unidentified gunmen killed eight people and injured 18 during an overnight attack in northern Rwanda near the border with DR Congo, police said Saturday. The attack took place in Musanze district which attracts tourists because of its Volcanoes National Park and its mountain gorillas, they said. Six people were killed with machetes or knives and the others were shot dead, a police statement said. "Security forces were quick to provide emergency services to the residents of the area and investigations are still ongoing to find these terrorists," it added. The area has repeatedly been targeted by Rwandan rebels operating from the Democratic Republic of Congo. One such group is the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, created by Rwandan Hutu refugees in eastern DRC after the genocide of Tutsis by majority Hutus in Rwanda in 1994. The last attack by rebels in this region happened in December and resulted in the deaths of two Rwandan soldiers.

Gunmen kill eight and injure 18 in Rwanda

Police in major US cities was on alert on Thursday as 'Joker' opened in movie theaters after weeks of publicity surrounding its disturbing portrait of a bullied loner raised fears it might spark violence.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/joker-review-joaquin-phoenix-is-terrific-in-an-extremely-disturbing-film-253248">Read the review of 'Joker' here.&nbsp;</a> 
 
'Joker,' an origin story about Batman`s comic-book arch-nemesis, stars Joaquin Phoenix in what movie reviewers have called a brilliant but terrifying performance as a mentally unhinged outcast who unwittingly finds fame through an act of violence. 
 
The DC Comics villain is associated with a 2012 mass shooting at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, a suburb of Denver, during a screening of a different Batman film, 'The Dark Knight Rises.' Families of some of the victims expressed concern about the new film, and it will not be shown in the Aurora multiplex. 
 
Officers wearing helmets and armed with assault rifles stood outside a screening of 'Joker' at the New York Film Festival on Wednesday night, where audiences had their bags searched and K9 officers were on duty, video footage showed. 
 
Police in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago said in statements that, while they knew of no specific threats, they were deploying additional officers or closely monitoring movie theaters where the 'Joker' is playing. 
 
Hollywood website Deadline cited an unidentified New York law enforcement official as saying that plainclothes officers would be stationed inside some movie theaters in the city. The NYPD could not confirm the report. 
 
Charles Kiwacz, 31, described the Aurora shooting as "an isolated incident." 
 
"I don`t think there`s any fear at all. I think it`s the exact opposite - people wanting to go out and show that this movie can be just that, just a movie," the podcast host and producer said as he bought a ticket for 'Joker' near New York`s Times Square. 
 
Tyson Sheehan, 32, a Los Angeles-area music student from Australia, said he was keen to see the film after "looking at all the trailers and everything," but jitters about its subject matter, coupled with what he sees as "lax" U.S. gun laws, gave him pause. 
 
"It`s definitely deterred me from going into the theater and seeing it ... at least for the first week or two," he said as he strolled along Hollywood Boulevard on Thursday evening.

Costumes and face masks have been banned for moviegoers at two US&nbsp;theater chains - AMC and Landmark - while the Alamo Drafthouse cinema group warned parents not to bring their children. 
 
The Parents Television Council (PTC), a media watchdog, issued a similar warning on Thursday. "Parents may believe that this film is appropriate for kids given that is an extension of the popular Batman franchise," the PTC said in a statement. 
 
Movie studio Warner Bros. said last week the film was not an endorsement of real-world violence. 
 
"It is not the intention of the film, the filmmakers or the studio to hold this character up as a hero," Warner Bros. said in a statement. 
 
Despite the controversy, the movie is expected to take in a bumper $80 million or more on its opening weekend in North America, according to box-office analysts. 
 
'Joker' director Todd Phillips criticized people who have attacked the film without seeing it. 
 
"I didn`t imagine the level of discourse that it`s reached in the world, honestly," Variety quoted him as saying at the New York Film Festival on Wednesday. 
"I think it`s OK that it sparks conversations and there are debates around it. The film is the statement, and it`s great to talk about it, but it`s much more helpful if you`ve seen it."

Police in major US cities was on alert on Thursday as 'Joker' opened in movie theaters after weeks of publicity surrounding its disturbing portrait of a bullied loner raised fears it might spark violence.

Police in major US cities was on alert on Thursday as 'Joker' opened in movie theaters after weeks of publicity surrounding its disturbing portrait of a bullied loner raised fears it might spark violence. Read the review of 'Joker' here. 'Joker,' an origin story about Batman`s comic-book arch-nemesis, stars Joaquin Phoenix in what movie reviewers have called a brilliant but terrifying performance as a mentally unhinged outcast who unwittingly finds fame through an act of violence. The DC Comics villain is associated with a 2012 mass shooting at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, a suburb of Denver, during a screening of a different Batman film, 'The Dark Knight Rises.' Families of some of the victims expressed concern about the new film, and it will not be shown in the Aurora multiplex. Officers wearing helmets and armed with assault rifles stood outside a screening of 'Joker' at the New York Film Festival on Wednesday night, where audiences had their bags searched and K9 officers were on duty, video footage showed. Police in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago said in statements that, while they knew of no specific threats, they were deploying additional officers or closely monitoring movie theaters where the 'Joker' is playing. Hollywood website Deadline cited an unidentified New York law enforcement official as saying that plainclothes officers would be stationed inside some movie theaters in the city. The NYPD could not confirm the report. Charles Kiwacz, 31, described the Aurora shooting as "an isolated incident." "I don`t think there`s any fear at all. I think it`s the exact opposite - people wanting to go out and show that this movie can be just that, just a movie," the podcast host and producer said as he bought a ticket for 'Joker' near New York`s Times Square. Tyson Sheehan, 32, a Los Angeles-area music student from Australia, said he was keen to see the film after "looking at all the trailers and everything," but jitters about its subject matter, coupled with what he sees as "lax" U.S. gun laws, gave him pause. "It`s definitely deterred me from going into the theater and seeing it ... at least for the first week or two," he said as he strolled along Hollywood Boulevard on Thursday evening. Costumes and face masks have been banned for moviegoers at two US theater chains - AMC and Landmark - while the Alamo Drafthouse cinema group warned parents not to bring their children. The Parents Television Council (PTC), a media watchdog, issued a similar warning on Thursday. "Parents may believe that this film is appropriate for kids given that is an extension of the popular Batman franchise," the PTC said in a statement. Movie studio Warner Bros. said last week the film was not an endorsement of real-world violence. "It is not the intention of the film, the filmmakers or the studio to hold this character up as a hero," Warner Bros. said in a statement. Despite the controversy, the movie is expected to take in a bumper $80 million or more on its opening weekend in North America, according to box-office analysts. 'Joker' director Todd Phillips criticized people who have attacked the film without seeing it. "I didn`t imagine the level of discourse that it`s reached in the world, honestly," Variety quoted him as saying at the New York Film Festival on Wednesday. "I think it`s OK that it sparks conversations and there are debates around it. The film is the statement, and it`s great to talk about it, but it`s much more helpful if you`ve seen it."

Security stepped up as 'Joker' opens in US movie theaters

The row of trendy restaurants surrounding an office of the Shakespeare Theater Company in Washington reflects the refined tastes of a gentrifying capital.

But down an alley, a mural depicts a very different drama playing out almost daily elsewhere in the same city.

There on the wall are the faces of five African-American teens shot dead, including Lauryn Renford's boyfriend, 16-year-old Zaire Kelly.

Renford, 17, was the driving force behind the mural, a recently inaugurated memorial to the slain youths.

"I think there's something very special about these five on the wall," says Renford, who sees their stories as representing other victims too.

In a country where <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/two-killed-seven-wounded-in-two-washington-dc-shootings-police-seek-suspects-reports-250882">mass shootings</a> dominate the headlines, the mural is a reminder of more common, everyday gun crime, the victims often African-Americans, their deaths too frequently overlooked except by grieving friends and family.

Kelly was attacked in an apparent robbery attempt on his way home from studies. Jamahri Sydnor, 17, was shot while driving, the victim of an "unintended killing" according to DC Witness, a website that tracks Washington homicide cases.

Steve Slaughter, 14, and Taiyania Thompson, 16, are also pictured along with Paris Brown, 19. All were killed in 2017 and 2018.

Brown and Kelly, as well as Renford, were students at Thurgood Marshall Academy in Ward 8, one of two districts east of the Anacostia River where poverty is disproportionately clustered.

"I realized that families and even just general residents of DC should have a place to grieve the people that we've lost and always honour their legacies, and work to preserve those that are left," Renford says.

Dozens of evenly-spaced red roses symbolize others lost to gun violence but whose youthful faces aren't pictured on the wall.

That could include Maurice Scott, 15, shot dead in May, or Steffen Brathwaite, 16, gunned down the day before AFP interviewed Renford.

They are among at least 131 homicide victims this year in the city of about 700,000 residents, up from 118 at the same time last year.

Nearby <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/outrage-as-trump-brands-mostly-black-baltimore-infested-mess-238944">Baltimore</a>, with a slightly smaller population, has recorded around 255 homicides in 2019.

In contrast, 64 people have been gunned down nationwide since January in mass shootings where four or more people were killed, according to a Washington Post database.

Most of Washington's gun crime occurs in Ward 8 and adjacent Ward 7, police data show, but the mural is in a more peaceful neighbourhood.

There, it helps broaden awareness among better-off residents who "don't necessarily know much about the violence" elsewhere in the city, says Renford, a first-year undergraduate hoping to study public health.

Karen Lee, a Thurgood Marshall teacher who guided Renford in creating the mural, says she is "really proud" of her.

"People are having to deal every day with violence, with shootings," says Lee, who is white and lives in the academy's neighbourhood.

"I hear gunshots and I wonder if I'm going to wake up in the morning and find out that I've lost another student".

In a Washington with more and more condominiums and sleek restaurants, but a declining African-American population, Renford says making the city safer should be a task for everyone and not just a "black and brown conversation."

She joined two other Thurgood Marshall students to found an activist group, Pathways 2 Power because they want "a seat at the decision-making table" on issues surrounding <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/democrats-step-up-calls-for-gun-legislation-as-us-congress-returns-248538">gun violence</a>.

The group helped her raise the roughly $12,000 needed for the mural painted by local artist Martin Swift on donated wall space.

Renford sees many roots for the violence, including poverty, gentrification, localized "beef," and "not valuing the lives of people around you... not even your own life."

Lee highlights the need to address the inequities between Washington's wealthier neighbourhoods and those where people struggle.

Armed police officers wait at the front steps of Thurgood Marshall while students in tan pants and burgundy shirts file into Martin Luther King Junior Avenue Southeast, where cars pass playing rap music.

Across the street is Bethlehem Baptist Church, the "Black Workers and Wellness Center," and a parking lot advertising the "Stop the Violence Jam" and other music shows.

Back in the alley, two elderly white women accompany a white man walking unsteadily with a cane. In front of the mural, one of the women stops and seems to call to the others. All of them look.

Paris, Jamahri, Steve, Taiyania and Zaire are looking back.

The row of trendy restaurants surrounding an office of the Shakespeare Theater Company in Washington reflects the refined tastes of a gentrifying capital. But down an alley, a mural depicts a very different drama playing out almost daily elsewhere in the same city.

The row of trendy restaurants surrounding an office of the Shakespeare Theater Company in Washington reflects the refined tastes of a gentrifying capital. But down an alley, a mural depicts a very different drama playing out almost daily elsewhere in the same city. There on the wall are the faces of five African-American teens shot dead, including Lauryn Renford's boyfriend, 16-year-old Zaire Kelly. Renford, 17, was the driving force behind the mural, a recently inaugurated memorial to the slain youths. "I think there's something very special about these five on the wall," says Renford, who sees their stories as representing other victims too. In a country where mass shootings dominate the headlines, the mural is a reminder of more common, everyday gun crime, the victims often African-Americans, their deaths too frequently overlooked except by grieving friends and family. Kelly was attacked in an apparent robbery attempt on his way home from studies. Jamahri Sydnor, 17, was shot while driving, the victim of an "unintended killing" according to DC Witness, a website that tracks Washington homicide cases. Steve Slaughter, 14, and Taiyania Thompson, 16, are also pictured along with Paris Brown, 19. All were killed in 2017 and 2018. Brown and Kelly, as well as Renford, were students at Thurgood Marshall Academy in Ward 8, one of two districts east of the Anacostia River where poverty is disproportionately clustered. "I realized that families and even just general residents of DC should have a place to grieve the people that we've lost and always honour their legacies, and work to preserve those that are left," Renford says. Dozens of evenly-spaced red roses symbolize others lost to gun violence but whose youthful faces aren't pictured on the wall. That could include Maurice Scott, 15, shot dead in May, or Steffen Brathwaite, 16, gunned down the day before AFP interviewed Renford. They are among at least 131 homicide victims this year in the city of about 700,000 residents, up from 118 at the same time last year. Nearby Baltimore, with a slightly smaller population, has recorded around 255 homicides in 2019. In contrast, 64 people have been gunned down nationwide since January in mass shootings where four or more people were killed, according to a Washington Post database. Most of Washington's gun crime occurs in Ward 8 and adjacent Ward 7, police data show, but the mural is in a more peaceful neighbourhood. There, it helps broaden awareness among better-off residents who "don't necessarily know much about the violence" elsewhere in the city, says Renford, a first-year undergraduate hoping to study public health. Karen Lee, a Thurgood Marshall teacher who guided Renford in creating the mural, says she is "really proud" of her. "People are having to deal every day with violence, with shootings," says Lee, who is white and lives in the academy's neighbourhood. "I hear gunshots and I wonder if I'm going to wake up in the morning and find out that I've lost another student". In a Washington with more and more condominiums and sleek restaurants, but a declining African-American population, Renford says making the city safer should be a task for everyone and not just a "black and brown conversation." She joined two other Thurgood Marshall students to found an activist group, Pathways 2 Power because they want "a seat at the decision-making table" on issues surrounding gun violence. The group helped her raise the roughly $12,000 needed for the mural painted by local artist Martin Swift on donated wall space. Renford sees many roots for the violence, including poverty, gentrification, localized "beef," and "not valuing the lives of people around you... not even your own life." Lee highlights the need to address the inequities between Washington's wealthier neighbourhoods and those where people struggle. Armed police officers wait at the front steps of Thurgood Marshall while students in tan pants and burgundy shirts file into Martin Luther King Junior Avenue Southeast, where cars pass playing rap music. Across the street is Bethlehem Baptist Church, the "Black Workers and Wellness Center," and a parking lot advertising the "Stop the Violence Jam" and other music shows. Back in the alley, two elderly white women accompany a white man walking unsteadily with a cane. In front of the mural, one of the women stops and seems to call to the others. All of them look. Paris, Jamahri, Steve, Taiyania and Zaire are looking back.

In US capital, teen honours victims of everyday gun violence

By Lacey Wallace

Americans own nearly half of the world’s guns, with approximately 120 firearms for every 100 US residents.

Gun control policies may someday restrict new gun sales. But what impact can they have when Americans already own millions of guns?

Some have pointed to gun buybacks as a potential solution to this problem.

I have spent years studying American attitudes toward guns and gun policies, including smart guns and open carry. I know that gun owners feel strongly about their identities as gun owners, making it difficult to create a strategy for taking guns off the streets.

US Gun Stock

The sheer number of guns is part of the challenge. The United States has the largest civilian-owned stock of guns in the world. At the end of 2017, the Small Arms Survey reported that there were an estimated 393 million firearms in the United States – and that’s not even counting guns owned by the police and military. That represents 45.8 per cent of the world’s civilian-owned guns.

Yemen has the second-highest rate of gun ownership per person in the world, with just 52.8 firearms per 100 residents.

More than 40 per cent of US adults live in a household with at least one gun. About half of all civilian-owned guns in the US are owned by just 3 per cent of US adults. These gun owners have an average of 17 guns each. Most other gun owners average about three guns at home.

Reducing Numbers

Gun buyback programs are designed to reduce the number of firearms by purchasing guns from private owners, and typically destroying them.

Gun buyback programs are not new.

Following a mass shooting in 1996, Australia banned automatic and semi-automatic rifles and shotguns and instituted a national gun buyback program.

In a year, Australia purchased about 650,000 firearms from private residents, estimated to represent about 20 per cent of the country’s privately owned guns. Research evaluating the effects of the buyback found a 42 per cent decrease in homicide rates and a 57 per cent decrease in suicide rates in the seven years after the legislation passed. But some researchers are still uncertain whether this decrease was due to the buyback, or whether it was simply part of an existing downward trend.

US&nbsp;cities have experimented with buybacks on a much smaller scale, even though the Pew Research Center reports that more than 70 per cent of gun owners say they could never imagine themselves not owning some sort of firearm.

One of the earliest examples occurred in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1974, Baltimore police paid residents US$50 per firearm, collecting roughly 13,500 over a two-month period. Rather than reduce crime, homicides and assaults spiked during the buyback. It is unclear why, but two months is a short time period for a clear pattern to emerge and crime rates in cities across the country were increasing through much of the 1970s.

Baltimore is not unique. A 2008 review of the existing research by Matthew Makarios and Travis Pratt in the journal Crime &amp; Delinquency found that gun buyback programs have generally been ineffective in reducing crime in the US Challenges include the types of guns purchased, the involvement of law enforcement, and the costs involved.

Types of Guns Purchased

Gun buyback programs often place no restrictions on the types of guns that can be purchased. Civilians frequently bring in old firearms, guns in disrepair, rifles, or shotguns. Sacramento, California, implemented a gun buyback program in 1993. Nearly a quarter of all guns submitted were not in working order.

The Boston Police Department also attempted a gun buyback program in 1993 without a restriction for weapon type. Only about half of the submitted firearms were handguns. That’s significant because we know from existing crime data that although some mass shooters use more powerful weapons, handguns are the type of firearm most often used in violent crime and in youth violence. If the goal is to reduce crime, getting shotguns or broken firearms off the street will likely have little effect.

Guns obtained through a 1994 to 1996 buyback in Milwaukee also differed from those typically used in suicide and homicide.

The Boston Police Department tried again in 2006. Learning from their past mistakes, the police offered a $200 gift card for each handgun – but no cash or gift card for rifles or shotguns. At the conclusion of the program, the Boston Police Department reported that more than 85% of submitted firearms were handguns, closely matching the types of guns used in crime.

The number of shootings decreased by 14 per cent&nbsp;in Boston in the year after the buyback and continued to decrease through 2010.

Other jurisdictions followed Boston’s example. In 2015, 13 police departments in Massachusetts instituted a buyback program with higher amounts paid for types of firearms more frequently used in crime. As a result, they were able to collect more handguns. But three out of five people who sold their guns said they still had one or more guns at home.

Cost and Profit 
 
Experience shows that some people will attempt to profit from gun buybacks by submitting inexpensive or broken firearms worth less than the cash incentive offered through the buyback.

In Baltimore, one buyback participant claimed she was going to use the buyback money to purchase a larger weapon.

In Oregon, private citizens waited outside the gun buyback locations to purchase firearms and ammunition from owners before they could go inside to submit them to law enforcement.

Gun buybacks are financed by taxpayer dollars and are generally paid for by local agencies rather than through state or federal funding. A local jurisdiction’s budget will limit the amount of firearms it can purchase and destroy, reducing the likelihood that a gun buyback will have an observable impact on local crime rates.

Law Enforcement Involvement 
 
Typically, gun buyback programs are run by law enforcement. Understandably, criminal offenders may be hesitant to come to the local police station or interact with law enforcement – even if they are promised exemption from prosecution for weapon possession.

Boston attempted to address this concern in 2006 by designating sites like churches as drop-off locations. Other jurisdictions have held gun buybacks run by nonprofit groups, but law enforcement officials are frequently on-hand as security, or to help take the guns to be destroyed after the buyback.

So far, gun buybacks in the United States have been a community-based, grassroots endeavor with limited impact. Their feasibility on a state or nationwide scale is unclear.

Cost alone may be a prohibiting factor. Assuming a $50 per firearm incentive, reducing the US gun stock by 1 per cent&nbsp;would cost $196.5 million. Inevitably, only some of the guns purchased would have been used in future crimes.&nbsp;

(Lacey Wallace is Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, Pennsylvania State University)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/could-a-national-buyback-program-reduce-gun-violence-in-america-120060">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.) 
&nbsp;

By Lacey Wallace Americans own nearly half of the world’s guns, with approximately 120 firearms for every 100 US residents. Gun control policies may someday restrict new gun sales.

By Lacey Wallace Americans own nearly half of the world’s guns, with approximately 120 firearms for every 100 US residents. Gun control policies may someday restrict new gun sales. But what impact can they have when Americans already own millions of guns? Some have pointed to gun buybacks as a potential solution to this problem. I have spent years studying American attitudes toward guns and gun policies, including smart guns and open carry. I know that gun owners feel strongly about their identities as gun owners, making it difficult to create a strategy for taking guns off the streets. US Gun Stock The sheer number of guns is part of the challenge. The United States has the largest civilian-owned stock of guns in the world. At the end of 2017, the Small Arms Survey reported that there were an estimated 393 million firearms in the United States – and that’s not even counting guns owned by the police and military. That represents 45.8 per cent of the world’s civilian-owned guns. Yemen has the second-highest rate of gun ownership per person in the world, with just 52.8 firearms per 100 residents. More than 40 per cent of US adults live in a household with at least one gun. About half of all civilian-owned guns in the US are owned by just 3 per cent of US adults. These gun owners have an average of 17 guns each. Most other gun owners average about three guns at home. Reducing Numbers Gun buyback programs are designed to reduce the number of firearms by purchasing guns from private owners, and typically destroying them. Gun buyback programs are not new. Following a mass shooting in 1996, Australia banned automatic and semi-automatic rifles and shotguns and instituted a national gun buyback program. In a year, Australia purchased about 650,000 firearms from private residents, estimated to represent about 20 per cent of the country’s privately owned guns. Research evaluating the effects of the buyback found a 42 per cent decrease in homicide rates and a 57 per cent decrease in suicide rates in the seven years after the legislation passed. But some researchers are still uncertain whether this decrease was due to the buyback, or whether it was simply part of an existing downward trend. US cities have experimented with buybacks on a much smaller scale, even though the Pew Research Center reports that more than 70 per cent of gun owners say they could never imagine themselves not owning some sort of firearm. One of the earliest examples occurred in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1974, Baltimore police paid residents US$50 per firearm, collecting roughly 13,500 over a two-month period. Rather than reduce crime, homicides and assaults spiked during the buyback. It is unclear why, but two months is a short time period for a clear pattern to emerge and crime rates in cities across the country were increasing through much of the 1970s. Baltimore is not unique. A 2008 review of the existing research by Matthew Makarios and Travis Pratt in the journal Crime & Delinquency found that gun buyback programs have generally been ineffective in reducing crime in the US Challenges include the types of guns purchased, the involvement of law enforcement, and the costs involved. Types of Guns Purchased Gun buyback programs often place no restrictions on the types of guns that can be purchased. Civilians frequently bring in old firearms, guns in disrepair, rifles, or shotguns. Sacramento, California, implemented a gun buyback program in 1993. Nearly a quarter of all guns submitted were not in working order. The Boston Police Department also attempted a gun buyback program in 1993 without a restriction for weapon type. Only about half of the submitted firearms were handguns. That’s significant because we know from existing crime data that although some mass shooters use more powerful weapons, handguns are the type of firearm most often used in violent crime and in youth violence. If the goal is to reduce crime, getting shotguns or broken firearms off the street will likely have little effect. Guns obtained through a 1994 to 1996 buyback in Milwaukee also differed from those typically used in suicide and homicide. The Boston Police Department tried again in 2006. Learning from their past mistakes, the police offered a $200 gift card for each handgun – but no cash or gift card for rifles or shotguns. At the conclusion of the program, the Boston Police Department reported that more than 85% of submitted firearms were handguns, closely matching the types of guns used in crime. The number of shootings decreased by 14 per cent in Boston in the year after the buyback and continued to decrease through 2010. Other jurisdictions followed Boston’s example. In 2015, 13 police departments in Massachusetts instituted a buyback program with higher amounts paid for types of firearms more frequently used in crime. As a result, they were able to collect more handguns. But three out of five people who sold their guns said they still had one or more guns at home. Cost and Profit Experience shows that some people will attempt to profit from gun buybacks by submitting inexpensive or broken firearms worth less than the cash incentive offered through the buyback. In Baltimore, one buyback participant claimed she was going to use the buyback money to purchase a larger weapon. In Oregon, private citizens waited outside the gun buyback locations to purchase firearms and ammunition from owners before they could go inside to submit them to law enforcement. Gun buybacks are financed by taxpayer dollars and are generally paid for by local agencies rather than through state or federal funding. A local jurisdiction’s budget will limit the amount of firearms it can purchase and destroy, reducing the likelihood that a gun buyback will have an observable impact on local crime rates. Law Enforcement Involvement Typically, gun buyback programs are run by law enforcement. Understandably, criminal offenders may be hesitant to come to the local police station or interact with law enforcement – even if they are promised exemption from prosecution for weapon possession. Boston attempted to address this concern in 2006 by designating sites like churches as drop-off locations. Other jurisdictions have held gun buybacks run by nonprofit groups, but law enforcement officials are frequently on-hand as security, or to help take the guns to be destroyed after the buyback. So far, gun buybacks in the United States have been a community-based, grassroots endeavor with limited impact. Their feasibility on a state or nationwide scale is unclear. Cost alone may be a prohibiting factor. Assuming a $50 per firearm incentive, reducing the US gun stock by 1 per cent would cost $196.5 million. Inevitably, only some of the guns purchased would have been used in future crimes. (Lacey Wallace is Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, Pennsylvania State University) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Could a national buyback program reduce gun violence in America?

Madonna stepped into the gun violence debate on Wednesday with a music video containing graphic dramatizations of a mass shooting. 
 
Called 'God Control,'&nbsp;the disco beat song and video depicts a gunman opening fire in a crowded nightclub or bar and images of actors playing dancers who fall to the ground, bleeding, or try to flee. 
 
A message before the video reads, "The story you’re about to see is very disturbing. It shows graphic scenes of gun violence. But it’s happening everyday. And it has to stop." 
 
"We need to wake up," Madonna sings. The video also uses TV footage of demonstrators calling for stricter gun control, including the 2018 "March For Our Lives," in Washington and other US&nbsp;cities. 
 
While the music video does not refer to any one incident, it recalls the June 2016 shooting inside the Pulse gay nightclub in Florida, in which 49 people were killed and 53 injured. 
 
Madonna, 60, said the video was designed to shock. 
 
"Seeing the reality, and the brutality of things makes you wake up,” the singer told People magazine on Wednesday.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zv-sdTOw5cs" width="560"></iframe> 
 
"This is really happening. This is what it looks like. Does it make you feel bad? Good, `cause then maybe you will do something about it,” she said. 
The United States has seen hundreds of mass shootings in schools, workplaces, places of worship and leisure in recent years but stricter gun control legislation has proven difficult to pass in the US&nbsp;Congress. 
 
In a message on her social media accounts, Madonna urged people to "insist on common-sense gun safety legislation" and directed fans to gun control organizations they could support. 
 
The 'God Control'&nbsp;video had been viewed more than 360,000 times on YouTube some two hours after its release on Wednesday.

Madonna stepped into the gun violence debate on Wednesday with a music video containing graphic dramatizations of a mass shooting. Called 'God Control,' the disco beat song and video depicts a gunman opening fire in a crowded nightclub or bar and images of actors playing dancers who fall to the ground, bleeding, or try to flee.

Madonna stepped into the gun violence debate on Wednesday with a music video containing graphic dramatizations of a mass shooting. Called 'God Control,' the disco beat song and video depicts a gunman opening fire in a crowded nightclub or bar and images of actors playing dancers who fall to the ground, bleeding, or try to flee. A message before the video reads, "The story you’re about to see is very disturbing. It shows graphic scenes of gun violence. But it’s happening everyday. And it has to stop." "We need to wake up," Madonna sings. The video also uses TV footage of demonstrators calling for stricter gun control, including the 2018 "March For Our Lives," in Washington and other US cities. While the music video does not refer to any one incident, it recalls the June 2016 shooting inside the Pulse gay nightclub in Florida, in which 49 people were killed and 53 injured. Madonna, 60, said the video was designed to shock. "Seeing the reality, and the brutality of things makes you wake up,” the singer told People magazine on Wednesday. "This is really happening. This is what it looks like. Does it make you feel bad? Good, `cause then maybe you will do something about it,” she said. The United States has seen hundreds of mass shootings in schools, workplaces, places of worship and leisure in recent years but stricter gun control legislation has proven difficult to pass in the US Congress. In a message on her social media accounts, Madonna urged people to "insist on common-sense gun safety legislation" and directed fans to gun control organizations they could support. The 'God Control' video had been viewed more than 360,000 times on YouTube some two hours after its release on Wednesday.

Madonna issues 'wake up' call on gun violence in graphic music video

A gunman reported to have been a student opened fire in a building at the<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/police-arrest-suspect-in-university-of-north-carolina-shooting-214919&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwia9-Gkl_rhAhW-6XMBHat_BDoQFjAAegQIBBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1UdFAcADoTUfOTraQ4rJcF"> University of North Carolina`s Charlotte campus</a> on Tuesday, killing two people and wounding four others, three of them critically, officials said.

Details of the late-afternoon violence remained hazy hours later, but campus Police Chief Jeff Baker said his emergency dispatch office first received a call about an individual armed with a pistol who had shot several students.

Two or three campus police officers responding to the call entered the building, disarmed the gunman and took him into custody, Baker said.

Police declined to immediately make the suspect`s name public.

Officials offered no explanation for what might have precipitated the shooting, as it was unclear whether the assailant knew any of his victims.

Local television news footage showed police officers escorting a tall, lanky young man with shaggy brown hair from a patrol car.

As he was taken into a station house, the man looked over his shoulder with a smile and appeared to yell something at reporters.

Several local media outlets reported the gunman either was or had been a student on the campus.

"Our officers` actions definitely saved lives. There`s no doubt about that," Baker said.

The gun violence, coinciding with the last day of classes for the academic year, prompted a security lockdown of the entire campus as police swept the university one building at a time, evacuating students as they progressed.&nbsp;

Video aired on local television and posted to social media showed scenes that have become all too familiar in the United States due to the rise in school gun violence, with students evacuating campus buildings with their hands raised as police officers ran past them toward the scene of the shooting.

About three hours after the shooting, Baker said all university buildings had been searched and secured and that students who live on campus could return to their dormitory halls.

The university said final exams would be postponed through Sunday.

An outdoor concert scheduled for Tuesday night at the campus football stadium by rap artist Waka Flocka Flame was also cancelled after the shooting.

LONE SUSPECT

Sandy D`Elousa, a spokeswoman for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, which is leading the investigation, said the suspect in custody was believed to have acted alone.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation said its agents were on the scene assisting the police.

"The FBI is prepared to provide any resource needed as the investigation continues to determine exactly what led to this tragic loss of life in our community," said John Strong, special agent in charge of the FBI field office in Charlotte.&nbsp;

Baker confirmed that two victims were killed and four others injured, three of them listed in critical condition.

Television station WBTV in Charlotte, the state`s most populous city, reported that gunfire erupted near the university`s Kennedy Hall administrative building.

"We are in shock to learn of an active shooter situation on the campus of UNC Charlotte.

My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives, those injured, the entire UNCC community and the courageous first responders who sprang into action to help others," Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles said on Twitter.

Susan Harden, a professor of education on campus since 2011 who also serves on the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners, expressed disbelief at the gun violence.

“This is a day at the end of the semester when students are doing performances, presentations ... this is just the worst thing,” Harden said at the police staging area. “Our campus is so safe. So safe. I’ve never felt unsafe on our campus. I’m heartbroken.”&nbsp;

Initial word of the shooting surfaced in a frantic warning posted by the school on its official Twitter account.

“Run, Hide, Fight. Secure yourself immediately,” the university posted. The school said later on its website the campus was on lockdown and that students and staff should “remain in a safe location.”&nbsp;

According to its website, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte enrols more than 26,500 students and employs 3,000 faculty and staff.&nbsp;

The deadliest mass shooting on a campus of higher education in the United States took place at Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, Virginia, on April 16, 2007, when a student killed 32 people in a shooting rampage, before killing himself.

A gunman reported to have been a student opened fire in a building at the University of North Carolina`s Charlotte campus on Tuesday, killing two people and wounding four others, three of them critically, officials said.

A gunman reported to have been a student opened fire in a building at the University of North Carolina`s Charlotte campus on Tuesday, killing two people and wounding four others, three of them critically, officials said. Details of the late-afternoon violence remained hazy hours later, but campus Police Chief Jeff Baker said his emergency dispatch office first received a call about an individual armed with a pistol who had shot several students. Two or three campus police officers responding to the call entered the building, disarmed the gunman and took him into custody, Baker said. Police declined to immediately make the suspect`s name public. Officials offered no explanation for what might have precipitated the shooting, as it was unclear whether the assailant knew any of his victims. Local television news footage showed police officers escorting a tall, lanky young man with shaggy brown hair from a patrol car. As he was taken into a station house, the man looked over his shoulder with a smile and appeared to yell something at reporters. Several local media outlets reported the gunman either was or had been a student on the campus. "Our officers` actions definitely saved lives. There`s no doubt about that," Baker said. The gun violence, coinciding with the last day of classes for the academic year, prompted a security lockdown of the entire campus as police swept the university one building at a time, evacuating students as they progressed. Video aired on local television and posted to social media showed scenes that have become all too familiar in the United States due to the rise in school gun violence, with students evacuating campus buildings with their hands raised as police officers ran past them toward the scene of the shooting. About three hours after the shooting, Baker said all university buildings had been searched and secured and that students who live on campus could return to their dormitory halls. The university said final exams would be postponed through Sunday. An outdoor concert scheduled for Tuesday night at the campus football stadium by rap artist Waka Flocka Flame was also cancelled after the shooting. LONE SUSPECT Sandy D`Elousa, a spokeswoman for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, which is leading the investigation, said the suspect in custody was believed to have acted alone. The Federal Bureau of Investigation said its agents were on the scene assisting the police. "The FBI is prepared to provide any resource needed as the investigation continues to determine exactly what led to this tragic loss of life in our community," said John Strong, special agent in charge of the FBI field office in Charlotte. Baker confirmed that two victims were killed and four others injured, three of them listed in critical condition. Television station WBTV in Charlotte, the state`s most populous city, reported that gunfire erupted near the university`s Kennedy Hall administrative building. "We are in shock to learn of an active shooter situation on the campus of UNC Charlotte. My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives, those injured, the entire UNCC community and the courageous first responders who sprang into action to help others," Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles said on Twitter. Susan Harden, a professor of education on campus since 2011 who also serves on the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners, expressed disbelief at the gun violence. “This is a day at the end of the semester when students are doing performances, presentations ... this is just the worst thing,” Harden said at the police staging area. “Our campus is so safe. So safe. I’ve never felt unsafe on our campus. I’m heartbroken.” Initial word of the shooting surfaced in a frantic warning posted by the school on its official Twitter account. “Run, Hide, Fight. Secure yourself immediately,” the university posted. The school said later on its website the campus was on lockdown and that students and staff should “remain in a safe location.” According to its website, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte enrols more than 26,500 students and employs 3,000 faculty and staff. The deadliest mass shooting on a campus of higher education in the United States took place at Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, Virginia, on April 16, 2007, when a student killed 32 people in a shooting rampage, before killing himself.

Gunman kills 2, injures four at University of North Carolina, Charlotte

New York, for the first time in 25 years, reported zero shootings throughout the city's five boroughs on the weekend of October 12 through October 14.&nbsp;

Here is a look at the gun ownership laws in India and New York:

Gun laws in India and New York

New York City has separate <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/hundreds-of-thousands-set-to-march-for-tighter-us-gun-controls-36933">gun laws</a> where one is required to have a licence for both long guns and handguns. These laws are regarded as very restrictive, meaning, that the issuance of a licence is up to the issuing officer. Applications &nbsp;for a pistol permit are filed at the police or sheriff’s department and can take 4-6 months for approval.

On the other hand, in India, gun laws in India are quite strict. Getting a gun licence in India is a difficult task that can take years.

The Arms Act which was first formulated in 1959 and has undergone multiple changes after allowing Indians to own guns for three primary reasons:&nbsp;

1. Self-defense 
2. Professional sport 
3. Crop protection&nbsp;

To obtain a gun, an individual needs to first procure a licence. Licences are issued state-wise; it’s near impossible to obtain a central licence that allows a citizen to carry a gun legally in more than one state. A form is to be filled after which documents need to be submitted. The licencing authority then calls upon the police to conduct background checks, as per National Association for Gun Rights India.

The Indian Ordinance Factory is the only legal manufacturer of arms in India, and all purchases are to be made from weapons it has produced.&nbsp;

Gun ownership in India and New York&nbsp;

Gun culture is deeply embedded in American society. The right to own and carry firearms is protected by the second amendment to the US constitution.&nbsp;

People in a third of households own a weapon. The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/anger-in-france-britain-over-us-president-donald-trumps-gun-law-speech-134851">US holds</a> the world record of an estimated 270 to 310 million guns -- an average of one per person.&nbsp;Around 30,000 people die by firearms – including suicide – every year in America.&nbsp;

In India, Uttar Pradesh topped the list of states to have the maximum number of gun licences at a colossal 12.77 lakh, followed by Jammu and Kashmir with 3.69 people with a gun licence, PTI reported.&nbsp;

Delhi has 38,754 licenced gun holders, Maharashtra with 84,050, Punjab, which witnessed terrorism in 1980s and 1990s, has 3,59,349 active gun licences and Karnataka with 1,13,631 licences.

According to the statistics released by the home ministry, the country has a total of 33,69,444 active gun licences as on December 31, 2016.

On Tuesday, the Delhi Police registered a complaint against a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-former-bsp-mps-son-booked-under-arms-act-after-brandishing-171740">former BSP MP's son</a> under the Arms Act and said that he would be arrested soon after he was seen brandishing a gun outside a five-star hotel.&nbsp;

According to the National Crime Records Bureau, gun-related deaths increased from 3,063 to 3,655 between 2010 and 2014. There were 10 times that number in 2013 in the United States.

But only 14 per&nbsp;cent of the victims in 2014 in India were killed by licenced guns. The rest were killed by illegal weapons, largely prevalent in the hinterlands.

According to World Atlas, United States has the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-watching-courts-before-acting-on-gun-age-limits-35568">highest gun ownership</a> rate with about 101 guns per hundred Americans, followed by Serbia at 58.21 guns per 100 people and Yemen with a rate of 54.8 per 100 people.&nbsp;

New York, for the first time in 25 years, reported zero shootings throughout the city's five boroughs on the weekend of October 12 through October 14. Here is a look at the gun ownership laws in India and New York: Gun laws in India and New York New York City has separate gun laws where one is required to have a licence for both long guns and handguns.

New York, for the first time in 25 years, reported zero shootings throughout the city's five boroughs on the weekend of October 12 through October 14. Here is a look at the gun ownership laws in India and New York: Gun laws in India and New York New York City has separate gun laws where one is required to have a licence for both long guns and handguns. These laws are regarded as very restrictive, meaning, that the issuance of a licence is up to the issuing officer. Applications for a pistol permit are filed at the police or sheriff’s department and can take 4-6 months for approval. On the other hand, in India, gun laws in India are quite strict. Getting a gun licence in India is a difficult task that can take years. The Arms Act which was first formulated in 1959 and has undergone multiple changes after allowing Indians to own guns for three primary reasons: 1. Self-defense 2. Professional sport 3. Crop protection To obtain a gun, an individual needs to first procure a licence. Licences are issued state-wise; it’s near impossible to obtain a central licence that allows a citizen to carry a gun legally in more than one state. A form is to be filled after which documents need to be submitted. The licencing authority then calls upon the police to conduct background checks, as per National Association for Gun Rights India. The Indian Ordinance Factory is the only legal manufacturer of arms in India, and all purchases are to be made from weapons it has produced. Gun ownership in India and New York Gun culture is deeply embedded in American society. The right to own and carry firearms is protected by the second amendment to the US constitution. People in a third of households own a weapon. The US holds the world record of an estimated 270 to 310 million guns -- an average of one per person. Around 30,000 people die by firearms – including suicide – every year in America. In India, Uttar Pradesh topped the list of states to have the maximum number of gun licences at a colossal 12.77 lakh, followed by Jammu and Kashmir with 3.69 people with a gun licence, PTI reported. Delhi has 38,754 licenced gun holders, Maharashtra with 84,050, Punjab, which witnessed terrorism in 1980s and 1990s, has 3,59,349 active gun licences and Karnataka with 1,13,631 licences. According to the statistics released by the home ministry, the country has a total of 33,69,444 active gun licences as on December 31, 2016. On Tuesday, the Delhi Police registered a complaint against a former BSP MP's son under the Arms Act and said that he would be arrested soon after he was seen brandishing a gun outside a five-star hotel. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, gun-related deaths increased from 3,063 to 3,655 between 2010 and 2014. There were 10 times that number in 2013 in the United States. But only 14 per cent of the victims in 2014 in India were killed by licenced guns. The rest were killed by illegal weapons, largely prevalent in the hinterlands. According to World Atlas, United States has the highest gun ownership rate with about 101 guns per hundred Americans, followed by Serbia at 58.21 guns per 100 people and Yemen with a rate of 54.8 per 100 people.

Living on a gunpoint: How India fares against US

Demanding an end to gun violence and tougher restrictions on firearm sales, thousands of students again walked out of classes across the United States on Friday in hopes of putting pressure on politicians ahead of November's midterm elections.

Timed to coincide with the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre, students left classes at midmorning, many waving placards with slogans including "I should be worried about grades, not guns," and "Enough is enough."

Organizers said students from more than 2,600 schools and institutions were scheduled to take part, but that was fewer than participated in a similar walkout last month. In some places, demonstrators even met with resistance from school administrators.

"Today is about being proactive and being empowered and really funnelling all that energy and anger we have as young people into some productive change," one of the student organizers, Lane Murdock of Connecticut, told Reuters.

Olivia Pfeil, a 16-year-old sophomore from a high school in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, held a sign bearing the names of mass shooting victims. "We're expecting change or come next election cycle we will support politicians who are listening to the voices of the youth," she said.

It was the second student walkout since the Feb. 14 massacre of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, and the emergence of a national student movement to end gun violence and toughen restrictions on firearms sales.

Many of the demonstrators wore orange, a colour that has come to represent the movement against gun violence. A 13-second silence was observed in honour of the 13 killed at Columbine.

At the Texas statehouse in Austin, about 1,000 students, many waving signs and chanting anti-NRA slogans, demanded stricter gun control measures.

“Because we can’t vote, this is the only way we can make our voices heard,” said Graeclyn Garza, a second-year student at McCallum High School in Austin, who waved a sign reading “Enough.”

Outside the White House, protesters sat in silence while they listened to the names of gun violence victims read aloud.

"It happened like 20 years ago," said Ayanna Rhodes, 14, a student at Washington International School, referring to Columbine, "And we are still getting mass shootings in schools."

Two gunman went on a shooting rampage at Columbine High School in Colorado in 1999, leaving 12 students and a teacher dead before killing themselves in a massacre that stunned the nation. But since then, school shootings have become commonplace.

Even as students prepared for their protest on Friday morning, news broke that a 17-year-old student had been wounded in a shooting at a high school near Ocala, Florida. A suspect was arrested soon afterward, police said.

The latest gun violence unfolded about 225 miles (360 km)northwest of the Parkland high school, where two months ago a former student killed 17 people in the deadliest high school shooting in U.S. history.

Despite widespread revulsion over the school shootings, the issue of gun control remains sensitive in Colorado and across the country, where the Second Amendment of the Constitution guarantees the right to bear arms.

Oppose them at every step

Dudley Brown, president of the Colorado-based National Association for Gun Rights, said the gun-control movement seeks to have the government take away constitutional rights.

"The main objective of these students is to ban firearms completely, and confiscate the firearms of law-abiding Americans," Brown said. "We will oppose them at every step."

In some conservative school districts, administrators told students they could face disciplinary steps if they walked out.

In suburban Dallas, a dozen students dressed in orange chanted "End gun violence!" as they huddled in a parking lot across the street from North Garland High School.

Freshman Victoria Fierro, 14, said school administrators blocked the doors when about 50 students tried to leave, so a small group exited through a side door.

"They told us we would get in trouble if we walk out, and we told them it was a peaceful protest, we're not causing any damage," Fierro said. "This is over a serious topic that people are pushing aside."

The principal declined to answer questions from Reuters.

It was not immediately clear whether Friday's turnout matched those of earlier protests. More than a month ago, tens of thousands of students from some 3,000 schools participated in the #ENOUGH National School Walkout to demand tighter gun control regulations.

On March 24, "March For Our Lives" rallies in cities across the United States were some of the biggest U.S. youth demonstrations in decades, with hundreds of thousands of young Americans and their supporters taking to the streets.

On the evening before the walk-outs, Colorado gun control activists rallied near Columbine High School.

Carlos Rodriguez, a 17-year-old junior from Marjory Stoneman, travelled to Columbine for the anniversary and said he found a sense of solidarity in the outpouring of support.

"That's the only thing that's keeping us Douglas students alive right now: the distraction of fighting for our rights and advocating for our lives," Rodriguez told Reuters.

There was no walkout on Friday at Columbine, which has not held classes on April 20 since the massacre. Students were encouraged to take part in community service instead.

Demanding an end to gun violence and tougher restrictions on firearm sales, thousands of students again walked out of classes across the United States on Friday in hopes of putting pressure on politicians ahead of November's midterm elections

Demanding an end to gun violence and tougher restrictions on firearm sales, thousands of students again walked out of classes across the United States on Friday in hopes of putting pressure on politicians ahead of November's midterm elections. Timed to coincide with the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre, students left classes at midmorning, many waving placards with slogans including "I should be worried about grades, not guns," and "Enough is enough." Organizers said students from more than 2,600 schools and institutions were scheduled to take part, but that was fewer than participated in a similar walkout last month. In some places, demonstrators even met with resistance from school administrators. "Today is about being proactive and being empowered and really funnelling all that energy and anger we have as young people into some productive change," one of the student organizers, Lane Murdock of Connecticut, told Reuters. Olivia Pfeil, a 16-year-old sophomore from a high school in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, held a sign bearing the names of mass shooting victims. "We're expecting change or come next election cycle we will support politicians who are listening to the voices of the youth," she said. It was the second student walkout since the Feb. 14 massacre of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, and the emergence of a national student movement to end gun violence and toughen restrictions on firearms sales. Many of the demonstrators wore orange, a colour that has come to represent the movement against gun violence. A 13-second silence was observed in honour of the 13 killed at Columbine. At the Texas statehouse in Austin, about 1,000 students, many waving signs and chanting anti-NRA slogans, demanded stricter gun control measures. “Because we can’t vote, this is the only way we can make our voices heard,” said Graeclyn Garza, a second-year student at McCallum High School in Austin, who waved a sign reading “Enough.” Outside the White House, protesters sat in silence while they listened to the names of gun violence victims read aloud. "It happened like 20 years ago," said Ayanna Rhodes, 14, a student at Washington International School, referring to Columbine, "And we are still getting mass shootings in schools." Two gunman went on a shooting rampage at Columbine High School in Colorado in 1999, leaving 12 students and a teacher dead before killing themselves in a massacre that stunned the nation. But since then, school shootings have become commonplace. Even as students prepared for their protest on Friday morning, news broke that a 17-year-old student had been wounded in a shooting at a high school near Ocala, Florida. A suspect was arrested soon afterward, police said. The latest gun violence unfolded about 225 miles (360 km)northwest of the Parkland high school, where two months ago a former student killed 17 people in the deadliest high school shooting in U.S. history. Despite widespread revulsion over the school shootings, the issue of gun control remains sensitive in Colorado and across the country, where the Second Amendment of the Constitution guarantees the right to bear arms. Oppose them at every step Dudley Brown, president of the Colorado-based National Association for Gun Rights, said the gun-control movement seeks to have the government take away constitutional rights. "The main objective of these students is to ban firearms completely, and confiscate the firearms of law-abiding Americans," Brown said. "We will oppose them at every step." In some conservative school districts, administrators told students they could face disciplinary steps if they walked out. In suburban Dallas, a dozen students dressed in orange chanted "End gun violence!" as they huddled in a parking lot across the street from North Garland High School. Freshman Victoria Fierro, 14, said school administrators blocked the doors when about 50 students tried to leave, so a small group exited through a side door. "They told us we would get in trouble if we walk out, and we told them it was a peaceful protest, we're not causing any damage," Fierro said. "This is over a serious topic that people are pushing aside." The principal declined to answer questions from Reuters. It was not immediately clear whether Friday's turnout matched those of earlier protests. More than a month ago, tens of thousands of students from some 3,000 schools participated in the #ENOUGH National School Walkout to demand tighter gun control regulations. On March 24, "March For Our Lives" rallies in cities across the United States were some of the biggest U.S. youth demonstrations in decades, with hundreds of thousands of young Americans and their supporters taking to the streets. On the evening before the walk-outs, Colorado gun control activists rallied near Columbine High School. Carlos Rodriguez, a 17-year-old junior from Marjory Stoneman, travelled to Columbine for the anniversary and said he found a sense of solidarity in the outpouring of support. "That's the only thing that's keeping us Douglas students alive right now: the distraction of fighting for our rights and advocating for our lives," Rodriguez told Reuters. There was no walkout on Friday at Columbine, which has not held classes on April 20 since the massacre. Students were encouraged to take part in community service instead.

US students walk out again to protest gun violence

From Washington to Los Angeles, students walked out of US classrooms Wednesday in the largest grassroots protest against gun violence seen in years, demanding action one month to the day after a deadly shooting rampage at a Florida high school.

Hundreds of teenagers from Washington area schools gathered outside the White House, holding up signs reading &quot;Books Not Bullets&quot; and &quot;Protect People Not Guns&quot; before marching on the US Capitol.

&quot;We want to show Congress and politicians we are not standing by, we are not silent anymore,&quot; said 17-year-old Brenna Levitan, who was at the protest with her mother.&nbsp;

&quot;Parkland is going to be the last school shooting.&quot;

Students in dozens of other cities in all 50 states staged similar demonstrations and observed a moment of silence to honor the 14 students and three adult staff killed a month ago at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

In Washington, several hours after the protests broke up, US lawmakers took their first significant step to address school gun violence since the Parkland shooting.

The House of Representatives voted 407-10 to fund violence prevention measures at schools including boosting security, mental health screening and creating anonymous reporting systems so students can report threats.

But Congress has yet to tackle the more controversial aspects of gun control demanded in the wake of the Parkland shooting.

These include expanded background checks for gun sales, a ban on assault weapons and raising the minimum age for some firearms purchases.

We want change

Dressed in the school&#39;s maroon colors, students at Stoneman Douglas visited memorials to their slain classmates and hugged and cried.

At a high school in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, students marched to the football field and assembled in a heart formation to pay tribute to the victims.

In Los Angeles and other cities, teenagers spelled out the protest slogan &quot;#ENOUGH&quot; by lying down on the ground on sports fields.

In Washington, students were joined by Democratic members of Congress at the Capitol.

Speakers denounced the National Rifle Association (NRA), the powerful US gun lobby, and demanded that Congress enact tougher laws on gun ownership.

&quot;You, the young people of this country, are leading the nation,&quot; Senator Bernie Sanders told the crowd.

&quot;People are sick and tired of gun violence and the time is now for all of us, together, to stand up to the NRA.&quot;

In New York, students -- many of whom wore orange, the color of gun control -- walked out from more than 50 schools.

&quot;We want change,&quot; and &quot;Am I next?&quot; they chanted.

The &quot;National School Walkout&quot; was intended to last for 17 minutes, one for each victim.

But tens of thousands of students around the country decided to skip school entirely and protest instead.

No guns in schools

At the White House, 17-year-old Farah Parmah, who goes to Thomas Wootton High School in Rockville, Maryland, said President Donald Trump&#39;s controversial proposal to arm and train teachers &quot;is just a bad, bad idea.&quot;

&quot;Gun violence has taken way too many lives this year,&quot; said Parmah, who is 17.

&quot;There should be no guns in schools.&quot;

White House spokesman Raj Shah said Trump &quot;shares the students&#39; concerns about school safety.&quot;

The nationwide protest was held one month to the day after Nikolas Cruz, a troubled 19-year-old former student at Stoneman Douglas, unleashed a hail of gunfire on his one-time classmates.

Cruz, dressed in a red prison jumpsuit, appeared in court in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday and a judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.

His lawyers had said he would plead guilty in exchange for guarantees that he would not face execution, but prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty.

Next protest on March 24

The United States has more than 30,000 gun-related deaths annually and Stoneman Douglas students have spearheaded a national gun control campaign, helping to force through a new law on age limits for gun purchasers in Florida.

The US public supports tougher gun laws, according to polls, but there is little backing for meaningful reforms in the Republican-controlled Congress.

Trump momentarily signaled support for curbing access to guns, notably by raising the age for purchases from 18 to 21, but now stands accused of bowing to the NRA.

He backed away from supporting age limits on gun purchases -- sending the proposal to a commission on school safety -- as well as from expanded background checks.

Such checks are currently only performed on people buying firearms from licensed gun dealers. Sales online and at gun shows are exempt.

According to the #ENOUGH&quot; campaign, students from more than 3,000 schools nationwide took part in Wednesday&#39;s demonstrations.

Another nationwide student-inspired protest, the March For Our Lives, is to be held on March 24.

Hundreds of teenagers from Washington area schools gathered outside the White House, holding up signs reading 'Books Not Bullets' and 'Protect People Not Guns' before marching on the US Capitol

From Washington to Los Angeles, students walked out of US classrooms Wednesday in the largest grassroots protest against gun violence seen in years, demanding action one month to the day after a deadly shooting rampage at a Florida high school. Hundreds of teenagers from Washington area schools gathered outside the White House, holding up signs reading "Books Not Bullets" and "Protect People Not Guns" before marching on the US Capitol. "We want to show Congress and politicians we are not standing by, we are not silent anymore," said 17-year-old Brenna Levitan, who was at the protest with her mother. "Parkland is going to be the last school shooting." Students in dozens of other cities in all 50 states staged similar demonstrations and observed a moment of silence to honor the 14 students and three adult staff killed a month ago at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. In Washington, several hours after the protests broke up, US lawmakers took their first significant step to address school gun violence since the Parkland shooting. The House of Representatives voted 407-10 to fund violence prevention measures at schools including boosting security, mental health screening and creating anonymous reporting systems so students can report threats. But Congress has yet to tackle the more controversial aspects of gun control demanded in the wake of the Parkland shooting. These include expanded background checks for gun sales, a ban on assault weapons and raising the minimum age for some firearms purchases. We want change Dressed in the school's maroon colors, students at Stoneman Douglas visited memorials to their slain classmates and hugged and cried. At a high school in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, students marched to the football field and assembled in a heart formation to pay tribute to the victims. In Los Angeles and other cities, teenagers spelled out the protest slogan "#ENOUGH" by lying down on the ground on sports fields. In Washington, students were joined by Democratic members of Congress at the Capitol. Speakers denounced the National Rifle Association (NRA), the powerful US gun lobby, and demanded that Congress enact tougher laws on gun ownership. "You, the young people of this country, are leading the nation," Senator Bernie Sanders told the crowd. "People are sick and tired of gun violence and the time is now for all of us, together, to stand up to the NRA." In New York, students -- many of whom wore orange, the color of gun control -- walked out from more than 50 schools. "We want change," and "Am I next?" they chanted. The "National School Walkout" was intended to last for 17 minutes, one for each victim. But tens of thousands of students around the country decided to skip school entirely and protest instead. No guns in schools At the White House, 17-year-old Farah Parmah, who goes to Thomas Wootton High School in Rockville, Maryland, said President Donald Trump's controversial proposal to arm and train teachers "is just a bad, bad idea." "Gun violence has taken way too many lives this year," said Parmah, who is 17. "There should be no guns in schools." White House spokesman Raj Shah said Trump "shares the students' concerns about school safety." The nationwide protest was held one month to the day after Nikolas Cruz, a troubled 19-year-old former student at Stoneman Douglas, unleashed a hail of gunfire on his one-time classmates. Cruz, dressed in a red prison jumpsuit, appeared in court in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday and a judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. His lawyers had said he would plead guilty in exchange for guarantees that he would not face execution, but prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty. Next protest on March 24 The United States has more than 30,000 gun-related deaths annually and Stoneman Douglas students have spearheaded a national gun control campaign, helping to force through a new law on age limits for gun purchasers in Florida. The US public supports tougher gun laws, according to polls, but there is little backing for meaningful reforms in the Republican-controlled Congress. Trump momentarily signaled support for curbing access to guns, notably by raising the age for purchases from 18 to 21, but now stands accused of bowing to the NRA. He backed away from supporting age limits on gun purchases -- sending the proposal to a commission on school safety -- as well as from expanded background checks. Such checks are currently only performed on people buying firearms from licensed gun dealers. Sales online and at gun shows are exempt. According to the #ENOUGH" campaign, students from more than 3,000 schools nationwide took part in Wednesday's demonstrations. Another nationwide student-inspired protest, the March For Our Lives, is to be held on March 24.

'#ENOUGH': US students stage walkout against gun violence

Florida Governor Rick Scott, a staunch ally of the National Rifle Association (NRA), signed into law on Friday a bill imposing a 21-year-old legal age requirement and three-day waiting period on all gun purchases and allowing the arming of some school employees.

Within hours, the NRA filed a court challenge to provisions raising the legal age for buying a rifle or shotgun, asserting that the higher requirement - consistent with the minimum age nationally for handgun purchases - violates the US&nbsp;Constitution.

Final passage of the bill by state lawmakers came three weeks to the day after a gunman opened fire with a semiautomatic assault-style rifle at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public in Parkland, Florida, killing 14 students and three faculty members.

Swift action in the Republican-controlled statehouse, where the powerful NRA gun lobbying organization has long held sway, was propelled in large part by an extraordinary counter-lobbying campaign waged by young survivors from the massacre and parents of the victims.

The Parkland massacre and response to it by Florida lawmakers signaled a possible turning point in the national debate between advocates for tougher firearms restrictions and proponents of the right to bear arms as enshrined in the Second Amendment of the US&nbsp;Constitution.

Gun control supporters said the tragedy - the deadliest US&nbsp;high school shooting ever - has given new momentum to firearms-safety measures pending in at least two dozen states, many in solidly conservative parts of the nation.

&quot;Today should serve as an example to the entire country that government can and must move fast,&quot; Scott said in remarks before the signing, surrounded by survivors of the shooting and their families.

One of them, Andrew Pollack, whose daughter Meadow was among those killed, hailed the bill as &quot;a start.&quot;

&quot;We&#39;re going to work on moving forward and hitting every other state to make sure they follow the lead of Florida,&quot; he told reporters.

Scott, a Republican who received the NRA&#39;s endorsement as governor and its highest rating for supporting the rights of gun owners, said the bill represented a compromise balancing concerns on both sides of the gun debate.

The NRA&#39;s lawsuit, filed in US&nbsp;District Court in Tallahassee, said that barring adults under the age of 21 from buying rifles was unconstitutional, violating both the Second Amendment and Americans&#39; 14th Amendment rights to equal protection under the law.

A statement issued earlier by the NRA had derided the higher minimum age and new waiting period for rifle sales as a prescription that &quot;punishes law-abiding gun owners for the criminal acts of a deranged individual.&quot;

Still, other states appeared ready to follow Florida&#39;s lead on at least some new gun-safety measures.

Five states - Alabama, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Utah - have seen so-called &quot;red flag&quot; bills introduced since the Florida massacre to make it easier for police to confiscate weapons from someone found to pose a threat of violent behavior, according to Kristin Brown, co-president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

Such a provision was included in the Florida package enacted on Friday.

The legislation, while containing a number of other provisions student activists and their parents from Parkland had embraced, left out one of their chief demands - a ban on assault-style weapons like the one used in the Feb. 14 rampage.

Arming school personnel

The bill also was controversial for including provisions allowing school staff to be specially trained and deputized to carry guns on the job as campus &quot;guardians,&quot; though local sheriffs and individual school districts may opt out of the program if they wish.

Most classroom teachers are excluded from volunteering for the program, a compromise aimed at earning the support of the governor, and many lawmakers, who opposed the idea.

&quot;My daughter is a teacher, and I believe teachers should teach,&quot; governor said. The bill left only non-teacher staff eligible to participate, such as administrators, guidance counselors, librarians and coaches.

Florida now joins at least six other states - Georgia, Kansas, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wyoming - with laws allowing public school employees to carry firearms to work, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

President Donald Trump has voiced support for the idea, also espoused by the NRA.

Critics have said arming school staff only heightens the risks of gun violence, and poses a particular risk to minority students, who they said were more likely to be shot in the heat of a disciplinary situation or if mistaken as an intruder.

Scott said he remained dissatisfied with the guardian provisions but signed the bill nonetheless, saying it would enhance school safety overall.

&quot;I am glad, however, that the plan in this bill is not mandatory, which means it will be up to locally elected officials,&quot; Scott said.

Besides his objections to arming teachers, Scott was on record as being opposed to extending Florida&#39;s existing three-day waiting period for handgun sales to purchases of all firearms, as the new law now does.

The measure also raises the legal age for all gun purchases to 21. The minimum age for handguns nationally is 21, but a person as young as 18 previously could buy a rifle in Florida.

Nikolas Cruz, the accused gunman charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder in the Parkland shooting, was 18 years old when he legally purchased the AR-15 assault-style rifle used in the massacre, according to authorities.

Cruz, now 19, had a history of mental issues, numerous encounters with police and was expelled from Stoneman Douglas last year for disciplinary problems, according to authorities.

The bill imposes a 21-year-old legal age requirement and three-day waiting period on all gun purchases and allowing the arming of some school employees

Florida Governor Rick Scott, a staunch ally of the National Rifle Association (NRA), signed into law on Friday a bill imposing a 21-year-old legal age requirement and three-day waiting period on all gun purchases and allowing the arming of some school employees. Within hours, the NRA filed a court challenge to provisions raising the legal age for buying a rifle or shotgun, asserting that the higher requirement - consistent with the minimum age nationally for handgun purchases - violates the US Constitution. Final passage of the bill by state lawmakers came three weeks to the day after a gunman opened fire with a semiautomatic assault-style rifle at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public in Parkland, Florida, killing 14 students and three faculty members. Swift action in the Republican-controlled statehouse, where the powerful NRA gun lobbying organization has long held sway, was propelled in large part by an extraordinary counter-lobbying campaign waged by young survivors from the massacre and parents of the victims. The Parkland massacre and response to it by Florida lawmakers signaled a possible turning point in the national debate between advocates for tougher firearms restrictions and proponents of the right to bear arms as enshrined in the Second Amendment of the US Constitution. Gun control supporters said the tragedy - the deadliest US high school shooting ever - has given new momentum to firearms-safety measures pending in at least two dozen states, many in solidly conservative parts of the nation. "Today should serve as an example to the entire country that government can and must move fast," Scott said in remarks before the signing, surrounded by survivors of the shooting and their families. One of them, Andrew Pollack, whose daughter Meadow was among those killed, hailed the bill as "a start." "We're going to work on moving forward and hitting every other state to make sure they follow the lead of Florida," he told reporters. Scott, a Republican who received the NRA's endorsement as governor and its highest rating for supporting the rights of gun owners, said the bill represented a compromise balancing concerns on both sides of the gun debate. The NRA's lawsuit, filed in US District Court in Tallahassee, said that barring adults under the age of 21 from buying rifles was unconstitutional, violating both the Second Amendment and Americans' 14th Amendment rights to equal protection under the law. A statement issued earlier by the NRA had derided the higher minimum age and new waiting period for rifle sales as a prescription that "punishes law-abiding gun owners for the criminal acts of a deranged individual." Still, other states appeared ready to follow Florida's lead on at least some new gun-safety measures. Five states - Alabama, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Utah - have seen so-called "red flag" bills introduced since the Florida massacre to make it easier for police to confiscate weapons from someone found to pose a threat of violent behavior, according to Kristin Brown, co-president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Such a provision was included in the Florida package enacted on Friday. The legislation, while containing a number of other provisions student activists and their parents from Parkland had embraced, left out one of their chief demands - a ban on assault-style weapons like the one used in the Feb. 14 rampage. Arming school personnel The bill also was controversial for including provisions allowing school staff to be specially trained and deputized to carry guns on the job as campus "guardians," though local sheriffs and individual school districts may opt out of the program if they wish. Most classroom teachers are excluded from volunteering for the program, a compromise aimed at earning the support of the governor, and many lawmakers, who opposed the idea. "My daughter is a teacher, and I believe teachers should teach," governor said. The bill left only non-teacher staff eligible to participate, such as administrators, guidance counselors, librarians and coaches. Florida now joins at least six other states - Georgia, Kansas, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wyoming - with laws allowing public school employees to carry firearms to work, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. President Donald Trump has voiced support for the idea, also espoused by the NRA. Critics have said arming school staff only heightens the risks of gun violence, and poses a particular risk to minority students, who they said were more likely to be shot in the heat of a disciplinary situation or if mistaken as an intruder. Scott said he remained dissatisfied with the guardian provisions but signed the bill nonetheless, saying it would enhance school safety overall. "I am glad, however, that the plan in this bill is not mandatory, which means it will be up to locally elected officials," Scott said. Besides his objections to arming teachers, Scott was on record as being opposed to extending Florida's existing three-day waiting period for handgun sales to purchases of all firearms, as the new law now does. The measure also raises the legal age for all gun purchases to 21. The minimum age for handguns nationally is 21, but a person as young as 18 previously could buy a rifle in Florida. Nikolas Cruz, the accused gunman charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder in the Parkland shooting, was 18 years old when he legally purchased the AR-15 assault-style rifle used in the massacre, according to authorities. Cruz, now 19, had a history of mental issues, numerous encounters with police and was expelled from Stoneman Douglas last year for disciplinary problems, according to authorities.

Florida governor signs gun-safety bill into law after school shooting

The latest celebrity couple to join the fight against gun ownership in the United States, singer John Legend and his wife Chrissy Teigen donated the sum of&nbsp;$25,000 to the cause of anti-gun&nbsp;March for Our Lives movement.&nbsp;

Standing in support of the&nbsp;Parkland shooting survivors, Legend said,&nbsp;&quot;We support the students. We&#39;re proud of the students. We&#39;ve already sent them money. We sent them $25,000 to help with whatever costs they have for organising, and we believe that our gun culture needs to change in America.&quot;

In addition to providing for the money, Legend also suggested&nbsp;widespread changes need to be made to prevent future gun-related tragedies, both large and small-scale.

He said:&nbsp;&quot;We stand out among other major countries in the world when it comes to these types of massacres, but also in the everyday gun violence that people have to deal with. I don&#39;t think that we should accept that as normal. I think we&#39;ve decided that everyone having unfettered access to guns is more important than all of us being safe, and I think we need to reshape that balance a bit so that we&#39;re all more safe.&quot;

John Legend is married to actress and social media influencer Chrissy Teigen and has a child with her, Luna who is one-year-old while there is a second child on the way. Talking about&nbsp;the country&#39;s responsibility to protect children, he said, &quot;I don&#39;t want our kids to keep going to these shooter drills, and all these other things that I can&#39;t even believe kids are dealing with right now,&quot; he explained. &quot;They shouldn&#39;t have to deal with that. But I&#39;m glad these kids from Parkland are saying enough is enough, and we support them.&quot;

&nbsp;

They are the latest celebrity couple who support Parkland shooting survivors and the anti-gun March for Our Lives movement

The latest celebrity couple to join the fight against gun ownership in the United States, singer John Legend and his wife Chrissy Teigen donated the sum of $25,000 to the cause of anti-gun March for Our Lives movement. Standing in support of the Parkland shooting survivors, Legend said, "We support the students. We're proud of the students. We've already sent them money. We sent them $25,000 to help with whatever costs they have for organising, and we believe that our gun culture needs to change in America." In addition to providing for the money, Legend also suggested widespread changes need to be made to prevent future gun-related tragedies, both large and small-scale. He said: "We stand out among other major countries in the world when it comes to these types of massacres, but also in the everyday gun violence that people have to deal with. I don't think that we should accept that as normal. I think we've decided that everyone having unfettered access to guns is more important than all of us being safe, and I think we need to reshape that balance a bit so that we're all more safe." John Legend is married to actress and social media influencer Chrissy Teigen and has a child with her, Luna who is one-year-old while there is a second child on the way. Talking about the country's responsibility to protect children, he said, "I don't want our kids to keep going to these shooter drills, and all these other things that I can't even believe kids are dealing with right now," he explained. "They shouldn't have to deal with that. But I'm glad these kids from Parkland are saying enough is enough, and we support them."

Star couple John Legend, Chrissy Teigen donate $25,000 to students against gun violence

A student shot and killed another student and wounded three others on Wednesday&nbsp;at a high school in the northwestern state of Washington before being disarmed, authorities said.

The shooting took place at Freeman High School in Spokane County, Washington state, 285 miles (460 kilometers) from Seattle, where witnesses described a scene of terror as the heavily armed shooter stalked the halls.

County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich told reporters the shooter was a student who was armed with more than one weapon, reportedly a rifle and a handgun.

&quot;He proceeded to take his weapons out. At that point, he attempted to fire one weapon and jammed,&quot; the sheriff said.

&quot;He went to his next weapon and a student walked up to him, engaged him, and that student was shot. That student did not survive,&quot; he said.

&quot;He then fired more shots around down the hallway, striking three more students and those students are in the hospital,&quot; he said.

Knezovich said the shooter was finally disabled by &quot;a member of the Freeman community,&quot; before police arrived on the scene.

The Spokesman-Review, a local news site, said the student was tackled by a school custodian.

&nbsp;&#39;A loud pop&#39;&nbsp;

It said the bloodshed began outside a biology class on the school&#39;s second floor.

&quot;I was putting my backpack away and I heard a loud pop, and I turned around. He was walking around,&quot; Elisa Vigil, a 14-year-old freshman, told the Spokesman-Review.

&quot;He had his pistol. His face was completely passive. He shot someone in the head. I crouched down in the hall. I looked up and a girl screamed, &#39;Help me, help me, help me.&#39; The hall was empty. She was shot in the back. I looked to my right, and there was a boy and he was shot in the head.&quot;

The three wounded students were all girls, it said. They were reported in stable condition at a local hospital.

Students told the news site the shooter was a sophomore who had ridden the school bus to classes with his weapons concealed in a duffel bag.

&quot;We need to understand what&#39;s going on in our society that students feel they need to take a weapon to solve the problems they are dealing with,&quot; Knezovich said.

&#39;Nice and funny and weird&#39;&nbsp;

Freeman High School has only 327 students, serving a small community near the city of Spokane.

Students said everyone knew each other, and some told local media they knew the shooter.

&quot;He was handing out a note to his friend saying he would do something stupid that could get him killed or in jail,&quot; one student told KXLY television. &quot;That was a few weeks ago.&quot;

Michael Harper, 15, told the Spokesman-Review that he was a good friend of the shooter.

&quot;He was weird,&quot; Harper was quoted as saying. &quot;And he loved the show Breaking Bad. He never really seemed like that person who had issues. He was always nice and funny and weird.&quot;

&nbsp;Anxious parents&nbsp;

A large contingent of police and firefighters responded to a call to their emergency line, and anxious parents began arriving at the school.

Cheryl Moser said her son, a freshman, called her from a second-floor classroom after hearing shots fired.

&quot;He called me and said, &#39;Mom, there are gunshots.&#39; He sounded so scared. I&#39;ve never heard him like that,&quot; Moser told the Spokesman-Review.

The state governor, Jay Inslee, said the shooting was &quot;heart-breaking.&quot;

&quot;As Spokane County officials continue their investigation to get the answers to the questions so many of us have during these unthinkable tragedies, the Washington State Patrol and all state agencies will do whatever we can to help provide support and comfort in the days and weeks to come,&quot; Inslee said.

An &quot;active shooter&quot; was arrested last Friday at a school in Columbus, Ohio, although no one was injured in that incident.

A year ago, an adolescent killed his father and then shot and wounded two children and a teacher at a South Carolina primary school.

According to the Gun Violence website, 253 mass shootings, defined as four or more people shot in a single incident, have been reported in the United States so far this year, including&nbsp;Wednesday&#39;s&nbsp;shooting in Washington state.

The shooting took place at Freeman High School in Spokane County, Washington state, 285 miles (460 kilometers) from Seattle, where witnesses described a scene of terror as the heavily armed shooter stalked the halls

A student shot and killed another student and wounded three others on Wednesday at a high school in the northwestern state of Washington before being disarmed, authorities said. The shooting took place at Freeman High School in Spokane County, Washington state, 285 miles (460 kilometers) from Seattle, where witnesses described a scene of terror as the heavily armed shooter stalked the halls. County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich told reporters the shooter was a student who was armed with more than one weapon, reportedly a rifle and a handgun. "He proceeded to take his weapons out. At that point, he attempted to fire one weapon and jammed," the sheriff said. "He went to his next weapon and a student walked up to him, engaged him, and that student was shot. That student did not survive," he said. "He then fired more shots around down the hallway, striking three more students and those students are in the hospital," he said. Knezovich said the shooter was finally disabled by "a member of the Freeman community," before police arrived on the scene. The Spokesman-Review, a local news site, said the student was tackled by a school custodian. 'A loud pop' It said the bloodshed began outside a biology class on the school's second floor. "I was putting my backpack away and I heard a loud pop, and I turned around. He was walking around," Elisa Vigil, a 14-year-old freshman, told the Spokesman-Review. "He had his pistol. His face was completely passive. He shot someone in the head. I crouched down in the hall. I looked up and a girl screamed, 'Help me, help me, help me.' The hall was empty. She was shot in the back. I looked to my right, and there was a boy and he was shot in the head." The three wounded students were all girls, it said. They were reported in stable condition at a local hospital. Students told the news site the shooter was a sophomore who had ridden the school bus to classes with his weapons concealed in a duffel bag. "We need to understand what's going on in our society that students feel they need to take a weapon to solve the problems they are dealing with," Knezovich said. 'Nice and funny and weird' Freeman High School has only 327 students, serving a small community near the city of Spokane. Students said everyone knew each other, and some told local media they knew the shooter. "He was handing out a note to his friend saying he would do something stupid that could get him killed or in jail," one student told KXLY television. "That was a few weeks ago." Michael Harper, 15, told the Spokesman-Review that he was a good friend of the shooter. "He was weird," Harper was quoted as saying. "And he loved the show Breaking Bad. He never really seemed like that person who had issues. He was always nice and funny and weird." Anxious parents A large contingent of police and firefighters responded to a call to their emergency line, and anxious parents began arriving at the school. Cheryl Moser said her son, a freshman, called her from a second-floor classroom after hearing shots fired. "He called me and said, 'Mom, there are gunshots.' He sounded so scared. I've never heard him like that," Moser told the Spokesman-Review. The state governor, Jay Inslee, said the shooting was "heart-breaking." "As Spokane County officials continue their investigation to get the answers to the questions so many of us have during these unthinkable tragedies, the Washington State Patrol and all state agencies will do whatever we can to help provide support and comfort in the days and weeks to come," Inslee said. An "active shooter" was arrested last Friday at a school in Columbus, Ohio, although no one was injured in that incident. A year ago, an adolescent killed his father and then shot and wounded two children and a teacher at a South Carolina primary school. According to the Gun Violence website, 253 mass shootings, defined as four or more people shot in a single incident, have been reported in the United States so far this year, including Wednesday's shooting in Washington state.

One dead, three wounded in northwest US school shooting

Gunmen killed eight police late Monday in an attack on a checkpoint in el-Wadi el-Gedid province in southwest Egypt, the interior ministry said.

Two of the attackers were killed when security forces fought back, and three other security personnel were injured, the ministry said in a statement.

The attack took place on al-Naqab checkpoint, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) from el-Kharga city, the capital of the province, the ministry said.

Jihadists have killed hundreds of soldiers and policemen since the military overthrow of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, which was followed by a bloody crackdown on his supporters.

Most of the attacks have taken place in the north of the Sinai Peninsula, which borders Israel and the Palestinian Gaza Strip. Attacks have occurred in other parts of the country, including Cairo.

(AFP)

Two of the attackers were killed when security forces fought back, and three other security personnel were injured

Gunmen killed eight police late Monday in an attack on a checkpoint in el-Wadi el-Gedid province in southwest Egypt, the interior ministry said. Two of the attackers were killed when security forces fought back, and three other security personnel were injured, the ministry said in a statement. The attack took place on al-Naqab checkpoint, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) from el-Kharga city, the capital of the province, the ministry said. Jihadists have killed hundreds of soldiers and policemen since the military overthrow of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, which was followed by a bloody crackdown on his supporters. Most of the attacks have taken place in the north of the Sinai Peninsula, which borders Israel and the Palestinian Gaza Strip. Attacks have occurred in other parts of the country, including Cairo. (AFP)

Gunmen kill 8 policemen in southwest Egypt

The police charged the suspect in the &quot;ambush-style&quot; shootings of two police officers with two counts of first-degree murder in the US state of Iowa on Thursday.

Scott Michael Greene was arrested less than two hours after police released his name and said they were searching for him.

Greene was taken to jail wearing the handcuffs carried by the two slain officers, the Des Moines Police Department said in a statement, news agency AFP reported.

&quot;The investigation has produced probable cause to support these charges,&quot; the department said, declining to offer additional information.

Anthony Beminio and Justin Martin were ambushed on Wednesday while patrolling in their cars.

Martin was found dead about 1 am local time in Urbandale, an affluent suburb of Des Moines. Beminio was found dead about 1:30 am local time in the city, NBC News reported.

A witness told Reuters that a police cruiser at the site of the Des Moines shooting was riddled with three bullet holes.

Police said that Greene has a history of run-ins with the law.

There are two YouTube videos posted by Scott Greene, an Iowan resident who appears to fit the description of the man named as the suspect wanted by police.&nbsp;

In the first video, entitled, &quot;Police Abuse, Civil Rights Violation at Urbandale High School&quot;, Greene records himself being asked by two cops to exit school property. &quot;Have I committed a crime?&quot; he asks. He says &quot;I think I&#39;ve been assaulted by you&quot;, and claims he was grabbed and shoved. He tells a third officer that he wants to report the theft of a flag taken from him, and that he wants to press charges against someone who hit him from behind while he was in the stands.

In the second YouTube video -- which is really a 10 second still, essentially a picture -- a man is seen holding a Confederate Flag, a loaded symbol in the US. While it can be an innocent symbol of the American South, it is also esteemed by various white supremacist groups.

(With inputs from agencies)

Scott Michael Greene was arrested less than two hours after police released his name

The police charged the suspect in the "ambush-style" shootings of two police officers with two counts of first-degree murder in the US state of Iowa on Thursday. Scott Michael Greene was arrested less than two hours after police released his name and said they were searching for him. Greene was taken to jail wearing the handcuffs carried by the two slain officers, the Des Moines Police Department said in a statement, news agency AFP reported. "The investigation has produced probable cause to support these charges," the department said, declining to offer additional information. Anthony Beminio and Justin Martin were ambushed on Wednesday while patrolling in their cars. Martin was found dead about 1 am local time in Urbandale, an affluent suburb of Des Moines. Beminio was found dead about 1:30 am local time in the city, NBC News reported. A witness told Reuters that a police cruiser at the site of the Des Moines shooting was riddled with three bullet holes. Police said that Greene has a history of run-ins with the law. There are two YouTube videos posted by Scott Greene, an Iowan resident who appears to fit the description of the man named as the suspect wanted by police. In the first video, entitled, "Police Abuse, Civil Rights Violation at Urbandale High School", Greene records himself being asked by two cops to exit school property. "Have I committed a crime?" he asks. He says "I think I've been assaulted by you", and claims he was grabbed and shoved. He tells a third officer that he wants to report the theft of a flag taken from him, and that he wants to press charges against someone who hit him from behind while he was in the stands. In the second YouTube video -- which is really a 10 second still, essentially a picture -- a man is seen holding a Confederate Flag, a loaded symbol in the US. While it can be an innocent symbol of the American South, it is also esteemed by various white supremacist groups. (With inputs from agencies)

US police ambush: Suspect charged with murder of two officers

Two police officers were killed in a pair of &quot;ambush-style&quot; shootings around Des Moines, Iowa, early on Wednesday morning, and police are searching for a possible suspect, whose motives were unknown.

Police are searching for a local man named Scott Michael Greene, 46, who should be considered armed and dangerous, TV station KCCI reported. It is necessary to mention, given the topic of police shootings in America, that the suspect is a white male.

Update, 9:14 pm: The suspect Scott Michael Greene is in police custody.

One officer was found dead about 1 am&nbsp;local time in Urbandale, an affluent suburb of Des Moines. The second officer was found dead about 1:30 am&nbsp;local time in the city, NBC News reported.

&quot;These officers were ambushed,&quot; Des Moines police department spokesman Paul Parizek told a news conference, adding that they were shot while sitting in their patrol cars about 3 kilometres&nbsp;apart. &quot;There is a clear and present danger to police officers right now,&quot; he said.

Police shootings, both those by citizens targetting police and those committed by police, is a sensitive topic in America.&nbsp;It&nbsp;has been put into the spotlight by groups&nbsp;like Black Lives Matter (BLM). Often, when&nbsp;a tragedy like this unfolds&nbsp;it gets almost instantly politicised and some&nbsp;link is made to BLM, even if they had&nbsp;absolutely nothing to do with it.

The extreme conservative Rudy Guiliani&nbsp;wasted no time blaming&nbsp;these murders, in so many words,&nbsp;on the atmosphere created by BLM&nbsp;(&quot;it wasn&#39;t an isolated incident&quot;)&nbsp;while speaking to the Westside Conservative Club.

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Rudy Giuliani offered a long statement on killings of Des Moines metro police during event with Westside Conservative Club this morning <a href="https://t.co/ykdXVg8Lol">pic.twitter.com/ykdXVg8Lol</a>
&mdash; Jason Noble (@jasonnobleDMR) <a href="https://twitter.com/jasonnobleDMR/status/793797160726827008">November 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Note that Guliani&#39;s suggestion comes despite he himself saying, &quot;we don&#39;t know what the circumstances of this shooting are so I&#39;m not going to say much about that&quot;.

A witness told Reuters that a&nbsp;police cruiser at the site of the Des Moines shooting was riddled with three bullet holes. Police were conducting a manhunt for the suspect or suspects throughout the area, Parizek said.

&nbsp;

There are two YouTube videos posted by Scott Greene,&nbsp;an Iowan resident who appears to fit&nbsp;the description of the man named as&nbsp;the suspect wanted by police.&nbsp;

In the first video, entitled, &quot;Police Abuse, Civil Rights Violation at Urbandale High School&quot;, Greene records himself being asked by two cops&nbsp;to exit&nbsp;school property. &quot;Have I committed a crime?&quot; he asks. He says &quot;I think I&#39;ve been assaulted by you&quot;, and claims&nbsp;he was grabbed and shoved. He tells a third officer that he wants to report the theft of a flag taken from him, and that he wants to press charges against someone who hit him from behind while he was in the stands.

In the second YouTube video --&nbsp;which is really a 10 second still, essentially a picture --&nbsp;a man&nbsp;is seen holding a Confederate Flag, a loaded symbol in the US. While it can be an&nbsp;innocent symbol of the American South, it is also esteemed by various white supremacist groups.&nbsp;

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yHqDDv6Ap0g" width="560"></iframe>

&quot;An attack on public safety officers is an attack on the public safety of all Iowans,&quot; Ben Hammes, a spokesman for Governor Terry Branstand, said in a statement. &quot;We call on Iowans to support our law enforcement officials in bringing this suspect to justice.&quot;

(With inputs from Reuters)

Des Moines police apprehended 46-year-old Scott Michael Greene, a resident of Urbandale on Wednesday

Two police officers were killed in a pair of "ambush-style" shootings around Des Moines, Iowa, early on Wednesday morning, and police are searching for a possible suspect, whose motives were unknown. Police are searching for a local man named Scott Michael Greene, 46, who should be considered armed and dangerous, TV station KCCI reported. It is necessary to mention, given the topic of police shootings in America, that the suspect is a white male. Update, 9:14 pm: The suspect Scott Michael Greene is in police custody. One officer was found dead about 1 am local time in Urbandale, an affluent suburb of Des Moines. The second officer was found dead about 1:30 am local time in the city, NBC News reported. "These officers were ambushed," Des Moines police department spokesman Paul Parizek told a news conference, adding that they were shot while sitting in their patrol cars about 3 kilometres apart. "There is a clear and present danger to police officers right now," he said. Police shootings, both those by citizens targetting police and those committed by police, is a sensitive topic in America. It has been put into the spotlight by groups like Black Lives Matter (BLM). Often, when a tragedy like this unfolds it gets almost instantly politicised and some link is made to BLM, even if they had absolutely nothing to do with it. The extreme conservative Rudy Guiliani wasted no time blaming these murders, in so many words, on the atmosphere created by BLM ("it wasn't an isolated incident") while speaking to the Westside Conservative Club. Rudy Giuliani offered a long statement on killings of Des Moines metro police during event with Westside Conservative Club this morning pic.twitter.com/ykdXVg8Lol — Jason Noble (@jasonnobleDMR) November 2, 2016 × Note that Guliani's suggestion comes despite he himself saying, "we don't know what the circumstances of this shooting are so I'm not going to say much about that". A witness told Reuters that a police cruiser at the site of the Des Moines shooting was riddled with three bullet holes. Police were conducting a manhunt for the suspect or suspects throughout the area, Parizek said. There are two YouTube videos posted by Scott Greene, an Iowan resident who appears to fit the description of the man named as the suspect wanted by police. In the first video, entitled, "Police Abuse, Civil Rights Violation at Urbandale High School", Greene records himself being asked by two cops to exit school property. "Have I committed a crime?" he asks. He says "I think I've been assaulted by you", and claims he was grabbed and shoved. He tells a third officer that he wants to report the theft of a flag taken from him, and that he wants to press charges against someone who hit him from behind while he was in the stands. In the second YouTube video -- which is really a 10 second still, essentially a picture -- a man is seen holding a Confederate Flag, a loaded symbol in the US. While it can be an innocent symbol of the American South, it is also esteemed by various white supremacist groups. "An attack on public safety officers is an attack on the public safety of all Iowans," Ben Hammes, a spokesman for Governor Terry Branstand, said in a statement. "We call on Iowans to support our law enforcement officials in bringing this suspect to justice." (With inputs from Reuters)

Two US police killed in 'ambush-style' shootings, suspect arrested

&nbsp;

San Diego police has released a video of the fatal shooting of the unarmed black man,&nbsp;saying the decision was made to counter &quot;misinformation&quot; being circulated about the incident, AFP reported.

Alfred Olango, 30, was shot in the San Diego suburb of El Cajon on Tuesday. The police had received a call about a man behaving erratically and walking in the streets.

The grainy videos shows the victim being confronted by two police officers in the parking lot of the mall and then being shot as he pointed a cylindrical object at one of the officers.

The&nbsp;object pointed at the officer was a vape inhaler.

The deaths of black men at the hands of police have spurred protests across America, most recently last week in the North Carolina city of Charlotte. Protesters gathered on Wednesday against the shooting of Olango.&nbsp;Following the shooting, several people gathered at the scene Tuesday night chanting &quot;black lives matter&quot; and &quot;hands up, don&#39;t shoot,&quot; AFP reported. Olanga&#39;s sister also participated in the protest rally.

The deadly confrontation in El Cajon, a suburb of San Diego, has prompted daily street demonstrations that turned violent late Thursday, after protesters shut down streets and began throwing bottles and rocks at passing vehicles and smashing car windows.

&quot;Our goal today is to clarify and hopefully calm the community&#39;s concerns regarding the recent officer-involved shooting,&quot; police chief Jeff Davis told reporters on Friday as he released the video footage, AFP reported.

&quot;We believe it is essential to provide the community with as much information as we can at this point.&quot;

Local officials in El Cajon have vowed a thorough and transparent investigation and urged calm pending the outcome of the probe. &quot;This will be looked at by multiple sets of eyes, and not just ours,&quot; said.

Davis promised transparency in the investigation while the residents have called on the police to release the video footage of the incident.&nbsp;He said that the two officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave.

Olango&#39;s family had declined to watch the video earlier in the day, Davis said.

Olango&#39;s mother, Pamela Benge, said her son had had a breakdown after losing a friend but was not mentally ill.

&quot;Please protest peacefully,&quot; she said through tears at a press conference.

A series of deadly police encounters across the country in recent years have raised questions about the use of force by US law enforcement against African-Americans and other minorities.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

The grainy videos show Alfred Olango being confronted by two police officers and then being shot as he pointed a cylindrical object at them

San Diego police has released a video of the fatal shooting of the unarmed black man, saying the decision was made to counter "misinformation" being circulated about the incident, AFP reported. Alfred Olango, 30, was shot in the San Diego suburb of El Cajon on Tuesday. The police had received a call about a man behaving erratically and walking in the streets. The grainy videos shows the victim being confronted by two police officers in the parking lot of the mall and then being shot as he pointed a cylindrical object at one of the officers. The object pointed at the officer was a vape inhaler. The deaths of black men at the hands of police have spurred protests across America, most recently last week in the North Carolina city of Charlotte. Protesters gathered on Wednesday against the shooting of Olango. Following the shooting, several people gathered at the scene Tuesday night chanting "black lives matter" and "hands up, don't shoot," AFP reported. Olanga's sister also participated in the protest rally. The deadly confrontation in El Cajon, a suburb of San Diego, has prompted daily street demonstrations that turned violent late Thursday, after protesters shut down streets and began throwing bottles and rocks at passing vehicles and smashing car windows. "Our goal today is to clarify and hopefully calm the community's concerns regarding the recent officer-involved shooting," police chief Jeff Davis told reporters on Friday as he released the video footage, AFP reported. "We believe it is essential to provide the community with as much information as we can at this point." Local officials in El Cajon have vowed a thorough and transparent investigation and urged calm pending the outcome of the probe. "This will be looked at by multiple sets of eyes, and not just ours," said. Davis promised transparency in the investigation while the residents have called on the police to release the video footage of the incident. He said that the two officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave. Olango's family had declined to watch the video earlier in the day, Davis said. Olango's mother, Pamela Benge, said her son had had a breakdown after losing a friend but was not mentally ill. "Please protest peacefully," she said through tears at a press conference. A series of deadly police encounters across the country in recent years have raised questions about the use of force by US law enforcement against African-Americans and other minorities. (WION with inputs from AFP)

US police released video of fatal shooting shows black man holding vape inhaler

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

A 14-year-old boy shot and killed his father in South Carolina before driving to an elementary school and opened fire on Wednesday.&nbsp;

 
The shooting ocurred at Townville Elementary in Anderson county, west of South Carolina,&nbsp;Reuters reported.&nbsp;

 
In the shooting, the teenager wounded two children and a teacher before he was stopped by a volunteer firefighter, Jamie Brock, who held him till the police arrived, Anderson County emergency services director Taylor Jones told reporters.&nbsp;

 
&quot;(He) was there in the hot scene and risked his life to mitigate this incident,&quot; Jones said. &quot;He just used enough force to take him to the ground.&quot;

 
One of the victims, a 6-year-old Jacob Hall is in critical condition, Sandy Dees, Greenville Health System spokeswoman said.

 
The boy had driven to the school before crashing on to the fence around the playground. The shooter never entered the building, said chief deputy Keith Smith.

 
Garland Major, Anderson County Sheriff&#39;s Office captain said the relationship between the victims and the shooter was undetermined. The teenager had been home-schooled.&nbsp;

 
Live images from the scene showed a significant number of police officers and members of the Anderson County Sheriff&#39;s Office heavily armed, some wearing helmets and bullet-proof vests, AFP reported.

Local broadcaster WYFF reported that the school was searched by the police and there was no more threat.

(WION with inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

One of the shooter's victims 6-year-old Jacob Hall is in critical condition

A 14-year-old boy shot and killed his father in South Carolina before driving to an elementary school and opened fire on Wednesday. The shooting ocurred at Townville Elementary in Anderson county, west of South Carolina, Reuters reported. In the shooting, the teenager wounded two children and a teacher before he was stopped by a volunteer firefighter, Jamie Brock, who held him till the police arrived, Anderson County emergency services director Taylor Jones told reporters. "(He) was there in the hot scene and risked his life to mitigate this incident," Jones said. "He just used enough force to take him to the ground." One of the victims, a 6-year-old Jacob Hall is in critical condition, Sandy Dees, Greenville Health System spokeswoman said. The boy had driven to the school before crashing on to the fence around the playground. The shooter never entered the building, said chief deputy Keith Smith. Garland Major, Anderson County Sheriff's Office captain said the relationship between the victims and the shooter was undetermined. The teenager had been home-schooled. Live images from the scene showed a significant number of police officers and members of the Anderson County Sheriff's Office heavily armed, some wearing helmets and bullet-proof vests, AFP reported. Local broadcaster WYFF reported that the school was searched by the police and there was no more threat. (WION with inputs from agencies)

South Carolina teen kills father, injures 3 in school shooting

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