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AT least 33 people have been killed and dozens more wounded in a wave of shootings and violent incidents across the United States during the extended Fourth of July holiday weekend, as authorities grapple with one of the country's traditionally deadliest periods of the year.
Ap reported the violence spanned multiple states, with fatal shootings reported in Illinois, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Michigan, North Carolina, Missouri, West Virginia and Maryland, underscoring persistent concerns over gun violence during major public holidays.
Chicago recorded the highest death toll, where 11 people were killed and at least 55 others injured in shootings by Friday morning. Among the dead were two women and an eight-year-old boy who were killed in a mass shooting on Thursday.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said the latest bloodshed had deeply affected the city.
"We are devastated by the recent violence that has left our city in a state of grief and we extend our heartfelt condolences to the families and communities impacted by these recent events," Johnson said.
A community rally was scheduled for Friday evening, while city authorities announced an increased police presence throughout the remainder of the holiday weekend.
The violence also prompted officials to close Chicago's 31st Street Beach earlier each evening after a series of recent shootings and stabbings at the popular Lake Michigan waterfront.
The Fourth of July has historically ranked among the deadliest days of the year in the United States, with large public gatherings, school holidays and warmer weather often contributing to seasonal spikes in violent crime.
In Huntington Beach, California, two people were killed and three others injured in an attack less than two hours after Independence Day fireworks celebrations concluded. Police arrested a suspect after responding to reports of an assault with a deadly weapon.
In Ohio, a 23-year-old man was fatally shot during a Fourth of July party in Niles, leading to the arrest of a 15-year-old suspect.
Elsewhere in Cleveland, a 10-year-old girl, identified as Gracie Griffin, was killed in a separate shooting. Investigators have not established a motive or whether she was deliberately targeted.
Philadelphia also witnessed deadly violence when a drive-by shooting claimed the life of a 19-year-old man and injured six others, including four juveniles. Authorities said the surviving victims suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
The Boston area experienced three separate shootings following Independence Day celebrations, leaving one man dead and five others wounded. Additional violence in East Bridgewater left a 17-year-old boy hospitalised with a gunshot wound.
In Connecticut, 23-year-old Shamyria Williams of Hartford was found fatally shot inside her vehicle after reportedly leaving a Fourth of July gathering.
Police in Albany, New York, said six males aged between 16 and 19 were wounded after gunfire erupted during a large house gathering. All were expected to survive.
In suburban Detroit, five teenage boys aged between 14 and 15 were injured when gunfire broke out following a fight at a party in Pontiac. Their injuries were reported to be non-life-threatening.
Tampa police arrested two suspects after a shooting outside the Pink Pussycat Lounge left a security guard seriously injured and three other men with minor wounds following an altercation.
Other deadly incidents across the country included the fatal stabbing of an eight-year-old boy during a domestic dispute in New York City's Queens borough, shootings that left one person dead in High Point, North Carolina, two dead in separate incidents near St Louis, a fatal shooting following an altercation in West Virginia, and a road-rage killing in Taneytown, Maryland.
Separate shootings earlier on Thursday also claimed the lives of a police officer serving a warrant in Cleveland and an armed individual who allegedly threatened others in Yellowstone National Park.
The latest outbreak of nationwide violence echoes previous Fourth of July holidays, which have repeatedly been marred by deadly shootings. Last year's celebrations left more than a dozen people dead and over 60 injured, while the 2024 Independence Day parade shooting near Chicago claimed seven lives, reinforcing longstanding concerns over gun violence during one of America's busiest holiday periods. - July 6, 2026
