CHICAGO (NewsNation Now) — Frustration and anger are being expressed in major cities across the country after another holiday weekend of reckless and devastating gun violence.
In Chicago, more than 50 people were shot, including eight children. One of them was 4-year old Mychal Moultry Jr.
“He’s a perfect kid,” said the boy’s father, Mychal Moultry Sr. “Every parent loves him. Everyone would want a kid just like him.”
The little boy was shot in the head by a stray bullet on Friday and died over the weekend.
“Babies can’t sleep in their bedroom without getting shot in the head,” said Marvin Edwards, a community activist. “Children can’t play on bouncing castles without getting shot. What is this, the new norm? This has to stop.”
In Florida, a former Marine sharpshooter broke in to a home and went on a shooting rampage. Police say Bryan Riley killed four people, including a 3-month old baby. An 11-year-old girl is the lone survivor of the attack. She is now fighting for her life after being shot several times.
Miguel Rivera says he believes Riley knocked on his door first before going to his neighbor’s house.
“God bless the family and what happened to them,” Rivera said. “I was thinking about mine. What would have happened if I had opened that door.”
According to a criminal affidavit, Riley confessed to investigators saying he received messages from God who “told him” to do it and that he shot the infant because “I’m a sick guy.” He also told them he was on meth at the time.
On Monday, a judge ordered him held without bond.
“It was random and he literally could have turned one driveway later and it would have been a different outcome,” said Liberty Ulrich, another neighbor.
There is no clear data on why so much violence happens when people are off of work, but the stress of the pandemic has proven to be a tipping point for many.
Data reveals that since the start of the pandemic, the sale of guns and gun violence has increase to an all-time high in the United States.
NewsNation spoke with Sandra Wortham about the gun violence in Chicago. Her brother, a Chicago police officer, was shot to death in 2010. See the interview in the player below.