Gun violence in the United States has claimed many lives, and this past week, in Chicago, it claimed the lives of three children.
The fact that children aren't safe in their own homes is a horrifying thought, but it seems to be the norm in the United States. Reportedly, ten-year-old girl Lena Marie Nunez was killed when a stray bullet shattered the window and struck her head while she was inside her second-floor family apartment in the 3500 block of West Dickens. The charred glass wounded her 8-year-old cousin, police said.
Apparently, on the same day, a 20-month-old baby, Sincere Gaston, was shot dead in broad daylight. The baby had been strapped in a car seat alongside his mother in the Englewood neighborhood. And hours before that a 17 year old boy was shot and killed for becoming involved in a fight while in a crowd.
"Too many times children are killed," Police Chief Fred Waller said at a news conference after the 20-month-old died. "It seems like just yesterday, and it was actually last Saturday, I was in front of you all talking about a 3-year-old kid. ... When is this gonna stop?"
The police don't seem to have an answer to stop the gun violence, especially after the scrutiny the police all over the country are for their tactics. The police themselves have not demonstrated that they can be seen as authorities on gun safety either.
The United States has been rocked by protests after the death of George Floyd at the heands of the police. And even in the handling of the protesters, the police all over the country seem to be using a heavy hand, not learning from their mistakes. It seems like the cycle of gun violence in the country is not going to stop anytime soon, but it most likely will continue to take down innocent collateral damage.
