Shots at US high school: 15-year-old kills three students

The USA cannot get the gun violence under control: Now fatal shots have been fired again at a high school. In Michigan, a 15-year-old shot and killed three students and injured eight others.

It is the 28th time this year alone that shots have been fired at a US school, but the death toll sets the previous high for 2021: At a high school in the small town of Oxford, Michigan, a 15-year-old has a semi-automatic weapon opened fire on his classmates. According to the police, the tenth grader was overwhelmed and disarmed just five minutes after the first emergency call.

But by then he had already killed three of his schoolmates – a 14- and a 17-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy. Seven other students were injured, some very seriously, and one teacher was slightly injured.

The motive of the shooter is still unclear. According to the sheriff, the minor has so far refused to testify. His father is said to have legally acquired the weapon only a few days ago. According to US media reports, warnings of violence at school have been circulating on social networks for weeks. The sheriff, on the other hand, stated that his authorities were unaware of this.

“Public Health Crisis”

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whittmer expressed her condolences to relatives: Gun violence is a public health crisis, the Democrat said. But now it is too early to discuss possible changes in the law. President Joe Biden also offered condolences to the families.

During the election campaign, Biden had promised to make the fight against gun violence a central theme of his presidency. But opponents of weapons accuse him that this has not happened so far.

In the United States, the death toll from firearms has continued to rise dramatically this year. The number of so-called mass shootings with more than four injuries or deaths is also heading towards a new high and is now more than 650.