An early Sunday morning mass shooting in Willowbrook, Illinois has left one person dead and 22 others injured. The shooting took place in the parking lot of a strip mall minutes before 12.30 am.
Victims of the shooting had gathered at the parking lot to commemorate Juneteenth, a national holiday in the US honoring the liberation of black Americans from slavery. Residents in the area claim that although this is an annual event, it has been peaceful in recent years, this year’s turnout was higher than usual.
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According to the area sheriff’s office, police were keeping an eye on the crowd, but they had to leave because of a nearby altercation. Officers returned to the area as soon as they heard gunshots.
According to Eric Swanson, deputy chief of the DuPage County sheriff’s office, “the reason for this incident is unclear.”
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Illinois Governor Jay Robert Pritzker has released a statement condemning the incident and thanking the first responders at the scene for helping the victims of the shooting. He also sent condolences to the families of the deceased. He assured the residents that detectives were reviewing footage from the event and would bring the victims of the incident the justice that they deserve.
The suspects of the incident are still at large and an investigation has been launched to bring them to book.
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The United States has experienced a series of gun violence and the nation keeps struggling even amidst contentious gun laws. In a wave of weekend violence and mass shootings across the United States, at least five people—including a Pennsylvania state trooper—were killed and numerous others were hurt.
