Mass shootings erupted across this great nation during Juneteenth celebrations killing 12 and injuring more than 100 CBS News is reporting.
The shootings happened in multiple cities and states including Chicago, Milwaukee, Washington, Pennsylvania, St. Louis, Baltimore, Idaho, and Southern California.
Daniel Nagin, a professor of public policy and statistics at Carnegie Mellon University, said: “There’s no question there’s been a spike in violence. Some of these cases seem to be just disputes, often among adolescents, and those disputes are played out with firearms, not with fists.”
In the Chicago suburb of Willowbrook, a Juneteenth celebration resulted in one dead and 23 shot.
The DuPage County sheriff’s office said a “peaceful gathering” suddenly turned violent as a number of people fired multiple shots into the crowd.
Mariah Dixon, 23, was shot in the knee. She hid under a car to save her life.
“All of a sudden, we heard shots and that’s when everyone began scattering.
“That’s when I felt myself get shot in the leg.
“The shots didn’t stop. I was anticipating getting shot again.
“I was screaming, ‘Help me, help me.’”
“I thought I was going to die under that car.
“I saw someone walking by and I forced my arm out from under the car and grabbed her ankle and I said, ‘Please help me, I’m under here.’
“I don’t know if I will ever be able to attend parties again,” she said.
In Milwaukee, six youths were shot during a Juneteenth celebration.
A 15-year-old boy was shot in Akron, Ohio during a Juneteenth celebration.
Two people were shot at a Juneteenth celebration in Asheville, North Carolina.
One person was shot and killed in San Diego during a Juneteenth event.
Lt. Adam Sharki of the San Diego Police said that the shooting “appeared to be an isolated incident resulting from a dispute here at the event with one person injured and one person, unfortunately deceased.”
According to WGN, the family of the dead man is blaming the property owner:
Attorney Robert Fakhouri — who is representing the family of Reginald Meadows — spoke Monday evening on behalf the family, bringing attention to past incidents at the strip mall in unincorporated Willowbrook in the process.
“This was the third time that this Juneteenth celebration was occurring on this private property,” Fakhouri said. “The property owner allowed individuals to gather on his property. Allowed a film production crew to come in to film music videos is my understanding, and no security measures.”
In addition to a lack of security measures, Fakhouri also alleged a history of violence at the events.
“There wasn’t prior gun violence, but violence had occurred in years past,” Fakhouri said.
MILWAUKEE — Eye witness footage of shooting at a Juneteenth celebration.
Four teenage girls and two teenage boys were shot. All are OK after receiving medical attention. pic.twitter.com/rapLfoVC0W
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) June 20, 2023
At least 29 people shot after gunfire erupted at an illegal street takeover in Willowbrook near Chicago, Illinois. Gunshots were discharged near the intersection of Honeysuckle Rose Lane and Route 83 (Kingery Highway).https://t.co/fGRz4VuCac pic.twitter.com/0YIoOIbcNR
— Fox3 Now (@fox3news) June 18, 2023
A shooting broke out during a Juneteenth event in San Diego https://t.co/PMeDyDdcvE pic.twitter.com/H6eG1PBdMq
— The Messenger (@TheMessenger) June 18, 2023
