At least 14 dead including 5-year-boy in gun violence across US over bloody Christmas weekend
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI: During the Christmas holiday, the US was hit by a wave of violence that resulted in at least 14 deaths and 16 injuries. Among the victims were a young child under five and several teenagers in places like Kansas, Detroit and Chicago.
Over the holiday weekend, firearms-related crimes claimed six lives in Colorado, while at least 11 people were injured in Chicago. In Minneapolis, a 19-year-old was shot and killed in a gang fight at the Mall of America.
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BREAKING: Mall of America has been locked down after a reported shooting. This video from Nordstrom, posted by Jovonta Patton to his verified social media feeds, shows the moment the shots rang out. @KARE11 pic.twitter.com/aBQkwRwOZt
— Danny Spewak (@DannySpewak) December 24, 2022
Kansas boy shot dead
On Christmas Day, a young Kansas City boy, age five, was found in his Missouri home with a gunshot wound that authorities say was accidental. Around 6.45 pm on Christmas Eve, police were called to the boy's home in the 7800 block of James A Reed Road where they found him in critical condition with a gunshot wound. Police responded to the incident, spoke with witnesses at the home and transported the boy to a nearby hospital, where he unfortunately died later that evening, according to the Lawton Constitution. Authorities are still investigating the boy's death, but believe the shooting was accidental and are not looking for suspects.
Multiple shootings in Colorado leave 6 dead
There were at least six gun deaths in Colorado over the weekend. Authorities in Aurora are investigating two double homicides that occurred on Christmas Eve. When they arrived, they found two people who appeared to have died from gunshot wounds, according to the Denver Post. While investigators continue to try to determine the connections between the two individuals, no one has been arrested in connection with the murder. Two men were discovered with gunshot wounds in the 17500 block of East Tennessee Place after police received a complaint about another incident. The victims succumbed to their wounds after being rushed to a nearby hospital. No arrests have been made in connection with the shooting either.
A married couple was found shot to death at a Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall in Thornton, Colorado, in what authorities believe was a case of murder-suicide. According to police, a married adult woman was fatally shot by her husband, who then turned the gun on himself. As responders rushed to the scene, witnesses observed a suspect throw a Molotov cocktail into the building. Before the deaths of a man and woman were discovered at 9.am, Thornton police reported responding to complaints of a fire at the Kingdom Hall. The couple had previously belonged to the congregation.
Teen shot dead at Mall of America
Johntae Hudson, 19, was shot and killed after a brawl at the Mall of America, the largest shopping mall in the country. Since the tragic shooting, five teens have been charged with second-degree murder. About 12 hours after 19-year-old Hudson was fatally shot following an altercation at the massive shopping complex, two 18-year-olds and three 17-year-olds were arrested at their homes at 8.40 am on December 24. Police said they were still searching for a sixth suspect. According to Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges, the five arrested stopped at a White Castle to satiate their hunger after fleeing the scene. Taeshawn Wright and Deandre Depratto, both 18, were involved in the altercation that turned deadly. Because of their status as minors, authorities have not publicly released the identities of the 17-year-olds. To help cover funeral expenses, the family has set up a GoFundMe page.
2 dead and 11 injured in Chicago shootings
Over the Christmas holiday, shootings occurred throughout Chicago, killing two people and injuring at least 11 others, including a teenager. An unnamed man with head injuries was discovered by police during a crowd control at a home in Marquette Park on December 25. He was identified as dead at the scene. A 21-year-old man was shot and killed a short time later on South Prospect Avenue. According to FOX 32, the man was shot in the back of the head at 10.30 pm before colliding with another car. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead. Other victims of the shooting include a 55-year-old man who was shot in the hand December 24 and a 48-year-old man who also suffered a gunshot wound to the hand.
Gunshot deaths in Detroit
Over the holiday weekend, four separate shootings killed two people and injured three others in Detroit, according to the Detroit News. Around 7.48 am December 25, officers responded to a report of a person down and found a body with a gunshot wound in a car. When police were called to another report of a shooting later that day, they found one victim dead at the scene. The investigation into the circumstances of the victim's death is ongoing. Three people were injured in two other shootings over the weekend, two of which occurred at 3.15 pm on December 24. According to authorities, one victim is in critical condition while the other is stable. The investigation into the circumstances of the shooting is ongoing, but authorities claim they have a suspect in custody.