- Tweeter
republish
The United States is in shock. In a few hours, two shootings left 29 dead and dozens wounded. In El Paso, on the Mexican border, a man opened fire near a shopping center before being arrested. He apparently wanted to attack the Hispanic community. In the city of Dayton, Ohio, another shootout broke out at bars and restaurants. The man was shot. According to the NGO Gun Violence Archives, the United States has known 251 "mass killings" since the beginning of the year, those who have made at least 4 victims, deadly or not.
251 shootings that have left nearly 272 dead and a thousand wounded since the beginning of the year. Figures that make you dizzy. The NGO Gun Violence Archives identifies what are known as "mass killings" in the United States, when an isolated individual pulls into the crowd to make as many casualties as possible.
Whether in a school, a supermarket, a place of worship or a concert ... All states in the country are concerned. Shooter patterns, sometimes very young, can be ideological, racist, or simply revenge-related.
The United States is regularly bereaved by these shootings. It is one of the countries in the world where there are the most firearms in relation to the number of inhabitants . The sale of arms is free there.
At each drama, the debate is about better regulation or even a ban, but the arms lobby is very powerful. And culturally, part of the country remains very attached to individual freedoms, including the freedom to own a weapon and defend oneself, even if it means sacrificing innocent victims.
→ To (re) read : Mass killings: 20 years ago, the turning Columbine
■ Testimonial in El Paso
The death penalty against the shooter of El Paso. Texas authorities will seek the death penalty against El Paso shooter. The man killed Saturday 20 people in a mall in this southern city of the United States. Carlos Gutierrez, a photographer, tells us about the atmosphere in El Paso.
" Many people canceled what they had planned. Concerts that were to be held today were canceled, a baseball game was canceled. Many places will not open on Sunday because it will be considered a day of mourning. I think people go to the mall and the churches. Last night, there were vigils in schools and other public places. In Ciudad Juárez, which is right next door, people have also gathered together with candles to be in solidarity with the community of El Paso.
But beyond sadness, now, we do not feel so safe anymore. Many people prefer to stay at home. When we go to a public place, now it will not be the same ... We do not know if it will happen again. Since we did not think it would happen here in El Paso, now it will be different. "
The case is now treated as an act of domestic terrorism. The motivation of the suspect: racism. He himself presented his act as an answer to "Hispanic invasion in Texas." On Twitter, President Donald Trump has denounced an "act of cowardice". Yet, in the eyes of Carlos Gutierrez, American of Mexican origin, Donald Trump has a responsibility in what happened.
" Racism has always existed here in the United States. But he was very hidden. Now with Trump and all he says, a lot of people are showing up. And we feel that there is more racism since the beginning of President Trump's term. Before people did not say it, but now there are a lot of videos of people getting angry because someone speaks Spanish and not English. I think it has always existed, but Trump offers some kind of support, they feel supported. Trump somehow puts oil on the fire. So yes, I think what happened to a report. The shooter is not from El Paso; he came from Dallas to kill El Paso, because here there are many more Latinos. He came for that. "