The latest mass killing in the United States occurred Saturday night when three children, ages 8, 9 and 14, and a 21-year-old adult were shot to death at a child’s birthday party in California. Eleven people were also injured at the Stockton Ballroom.
This is the 17th mass killing in the country this year. The killings are documented in a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.
At least 81 people have died in the United States this year in mass killings, which are defined as cases in which four or more people, not including the killer, are killed in a 24-hour period – the same definition used by the FBI.
Of the 17 mass killings recorded so far this year, 14 (82%) involved firearms. Gunshot victims account for 81 percent of the 3,234 victims of mass killings since 2006.
Late last year, at least 38 mass killings occurred, killing at least 165 people.
Here are other mass killings in the United States this year:
St. Helena, South Carolina, October 12
Four people were killed and 15 injured in a shooting during a high school reunion at a bar in St. Helena. Authorities said a man accused in the shooting and another man who was killed got into an argument and began shooting at each other. Investigators found evidence of a third shooter and said more arrests were expected.
Leland, Mississippi, October 10
Seven people were killed in a shooting after a high school football game in a Mississippi Delta town. Authorities have not revealed a possible motive for Leland’s shooting, but the FBI said it may have been “spurred by a disagreement between several individuals.” At least nine people have been arrested, several of whom have been charged with murder.
Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, September 28
A man opened fire inside a Michigan church, killing four people and razing the church to the ground. The FBI said the gunman, who was killed by law enforcement, was motivated by “anti-religious beliefs” against The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Merlin, Oregon, August 11
Two adults and three children are dead in a murder-suicide in southern Oregon, police said. The three children are aged 11, 9 and 7 years old. Police discovered the body in a home near Grants Pass after one of the victims failed to show up for work.
Anaconda, Montana, August 1
Four people were shot to death at a bar in a town about 75 miles (120 kilometers) southeast of Missoula. The man accused of the killing evaded capture for a week.
Tiptonville, Tennessee, July 29
The parents, grandmother and uncle of a baby who was found abandoned in a front yard were shot to death in woods about 40 miles (65 kilometers) away. Authorities say the man charged in the killing is the boyfriend of the baby’s grandmother’s sister.
New York City, July 28
A man armed with a rifle killed four people inside a financial company and NFL headquarters building in midtown Manhattan. The victims included an off-duty New York City police officer. The gunman wounded a fifth person before taking his own life.
Talladega, Alabama, July 5
Three men and a woman were shot to death inside the apartment. Police discovered the bodies after receiving a call about a missing woman. A friend of one of the victims was arrested.
Chicago, July 2
As people were leaving an album release party, a drive-by shooting occurred, killing two men and two women and injuring 14 others. The driver fled immediately and no one is in custody, police said.
Chicago, June 26
A man upset with friends and his ex-girlfriend set fire to a building, killing four other people, police said. The fire was started with gasoline and a lighter.
Minneapolis, April 29
Four people were shot to death inside a car in the Phillips neighborhood of south Minneapolis. A suspect was arrested and charged days later.
Perry, Georgia, April 4
Three adults, ages 82, 51 and 37, and a 2-year-old child were found dead in a mobile home in Perry, a rural city about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Macon. Authorities said three victims were stabbed and one was suffocated. A man was arrested in May and charged with homicide, officials said.
Hallandale Beach, Florida: March 26
A man shot and killed his estranged girlfriend and her three children at a south Florida home before turning the gun on himself, according to local reports. The father-of-two later died in hospital. A fourth child was shot but survived.
Lake Station, Indiana, February 21
A mother and her three daughters, ages 4, 6 and 7, were found shot to death in a home in Lake Station, about 34 miles (55 kilometers) southeast of Chicago, according to local reports. The incident was ruled a homicide. The woman’s husband was also found shot to death, and his death was ruled a suicide.
Byron, Wyoming, February 10
A woman shot and killed her four daughters, ranging in age from 2 to 9, before turning the gun on herself, officials said. Officials said three of the girls died that day, and the fourth daughter and her mother died later, according to local reports.
New Orleans, January 1
A driver plowed into a group of revelers in New Orleans’ French Quarter at 3:15 a.m. on New Year’s Day, killing at least 14 people and injuring dozens more, authorities said. The driver, a U.S. citizen from Texas, died in a shootout with police. The FBI called the attack an act of terrorism.
