Deadliest recent mass shootings in the United States

Published August 4, 2019
Police keep watch outside Walmart near the scene of a mass shooting which left at least 20 people dead on August 3 in El Paso, Texas. — AFP
Police keep watch outside Walmart near the scene of a mass shooting which left at least 20 people dead on August 3 in El Paso, Texas. — AFP

Twenty people were killed when a gunman opened fire in a packed Walmart store in El Paso, Texas, on Saturday. Following this, at least nine people were killed in a shooting, that took place in Dayton city of United States' Ohio on Sunday.

Here are of some of the other deadliest recent mass shootings in the United States:

Vegas concert: 58 killed

A 64-year-old retired accountant shot down from his hotel room at a crowd attending an outdoor country music concert on October 1, 2017, killing 58 people and wounding around 550 before committing suicide. It was the worst mass shooting in modern US history.

Florida club: 49 killed

A heavily armed gunman opened fire inside a gay nightclub in the city of Orlando on June 12, 2016, killing 49 people. The attacker was killed in a shootout with police. He pledged allegiance to the militant Islamic State group, which later claimed responsibility.

Sandy Hook: 26 killed

A 20-year-old man killed his mother in Newtown, Connecticut, in December 2012 before blasting his way into Sandy Hook Elementary School and shooting dead 20 six- and seven-year-old children and six adults. He committed suicide.

Texas church: 25 killed

A 26-year-old man who was court-martialed while in the Air Force shot dead 25 worshippers during Sunday services and wounded at least 20 others at a Baptist church in the small rural community of Sutherland Springs outside San Antonio, Texas, on November 5, 2017. The shooter fled and was later found dead in his car with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Florida high school: 17 dead

A 19-year-old former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School who was expelled for disciplinary reasons returned to the school in Parkland, Florida, and opened fire on February 14, 2018, killing 14 students and three adult staff members.

California office party: 14 dead

A radicalised Muslim couple stormed a Christmas office party at a social services centre in San Bernardino in December 2015 and gunned down 14 people, wounding 22 others. They were shot dead by police.

Virginia Beach: 12 dead

An engineer shot dead 12 at a municipal building in this coastal city on May 31, 2019. The 40-year-old had worked for the public works department in Virginia Beach for about 15 years before carrying out the rampage at his workplace. He died in a gunfight with police.

California bar: 12 dead

On November 7, 2018, a 28-year-old US Marine Corps combat veteran opened fire in a crowded country music bar in California, killing 12 people. The assailant, a troubled former machine gunner who served a tour in Afghanistan, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Colorado cinema: 12 dead

A young man wearing body armour opened fire in a movie theatre showing a late-night premiere of a Batman film in Aurora, Colorado in July 2012. Twelve people wee killed and 70 wounded. He was sentenced to life in prison.

Synagogue in Pittsburgh: 11 dead

On October 27, 2018, a 46-year-old gunman burst into the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburg during Shabbat services, killing eleven people. He reportedly yelled "All Jews must die!" during the attack. He was indicted on 29 counts, some of which carry the death penalty.

High school in Santa Fe: 10 dead

A 17-year-old student armed with a shotgun and a revolver opened fire just as classes were starting at his school in Santa Fe, Texas, on May 18, 2018, killing ten people including eight students. The student, who authorities said used weapons legally owned by his father, was taken into custody on murder charges.

Opinion

Editorial

Digital growth
Updated 25 Apr, 2024

Digital growth

Democratising digital development will catalyse a rapid, if not immediate, improvement in human development indicators for the underserved segments of the Pakistani citizenry.
Nikah rights
25 Apr, 2024

Nikah rights

THE Supreme Court recently delivered a judgement championing the rights of women within a marriage. The ruling...
Campus crackdowns
25 Apr, 2024

Campus crackdowns

WHILE most Western governments have either been gladly facilitating Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, or meekly...
Ties with Tehran
Updated 24 Apr, 2024

Ties with Tehran

Tomorrow, if ties between Washington and Beijing nosedive, and the US asks Pakistan to reconsider CPEC, will we comply?
Working together
24 Apr, 2024

Working together

PAKISTAN’S democracy seems adrift, and no one understands this better than our politicians. The system has gone...
Farmers’ anxiety
24 Apr, 2024

Farmers’ anxiety

WHEAT prices in Punjab have plummeted far below the minimum support price owing to a bumper harvest, reckless...