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(NEW YORK) — A Feb. 14 mass shooting following a parade and rally for the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl win has left one person dead and at least 21 others injured, according to officials.

The shooting has reignited discussions about the prevalence of gun violence in America.

As of Feb. 15, at least 4,994 people have died from gun violence in the U.S. this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive – which is an average of about 108 deaths each day. Another 3,351 people have been injured.

Of those who have died from gun violence, 147 were teens and 31 were children.

Last year, gun violence deaths and injuries decreased by at least 8% compared to 2022, with some cities seeing decreases of more than 20%, according to GVA.

There were 43,065 gun deaths in 2023, with more than 36,000 people injured. Gun deaths, excluding suicides, in 2023 were the lowest they had been since 2020. Injuries were the lowest they had been since 2019.

Mass shootings

There have been more than 49 mass shootings in 2024 so far, which is defined by the Gun Violence Archive as an incident in which four or more victims are shot or killed.

These mass shootings have led to more than 80 deaths and more than 170 injuries.

The Jan. 23 string of shootings in Joliet, Illinois by a single suspect marks the deadliest incident of the year. Eight people were killed and nine shot in what Joliet, Illinois, authorities are referring to as 23-year-old deceased suspect Romeo Nance’s “reign of terror.”

Mass shootings in the U.S. have more than doubled in the last decade.

In 2014, there were 272 mass shootings. In 2023, there were 656. Mass shootings peaked at 689 in 2021, according to GVA.

Deaths by suicide

Deaths by suicide have made up the vast majority of gun violence deaths so far this year.

There’s been 3,036 deaths by gun suicide this year, an average of about 66 deaths by suicide per day.

Though GVA has not yet released suicide data for 2023, deaths by suicide have been on the rise throughout the decade.

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide — free, confidential help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call or text the national lifeline at 988. Even if you feel like it, you are not alone.

Other shootings

The grim tally of gun violence deaths includes 174 people killed in police officer-involved shootings. Seven police officers have been fatally shot in the line of duty this year.

There also have been 181 “unintentional” shootings, the Gun Violence Archive shows. Unintentional shootings reached the lowest they had been in a decade.

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(NEW YORK) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first medication to treat severe frostbite on Wednesday.

Aurlumyn, manufactured by Eicos Sciences Inc, is an injection to treat severe frostbite in adults to reduce the risk of finger or toe amputation.

“This approval provides patients with the first-ever treatment option for severe frostbite,” Dr. Norman Stockbridge, director of the division of cardiology and nephrology in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a release. “Having this new option provides physicians with a tool that will help prevent the lifechanging amputation of one’s frostbitten fingers or toes.”

Frostbite is an injury that occurs when the skin and the underlying tissues are damaged by cold temperatures. Treatment typically involves placing the skin in warm water or placing blankets over affected skin area.

Frostbite typically occurs in three stages, with the final stage being severe frostbite, which results in numbness and skin that turns hard and black due to skin cells dying. Large blisters will appear on the skin a day or two after cold exposure and skin may be permanently damaged, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

If underlying tissues are frozen and blood flow has stopped, the frostbitten extremity may need to be amputated.

Iloprost is the active ingredient in Aurlumy and is a vasodilator, a type of drug that dilates vessels so blood can flow easily and prevents clotting. It was originally approved in 2004 for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension.

In a controlled trial, researchers examined 47 adults with severe frostbite, all of whom received aspirin by vein and standard of care. They were separated into three groups.

The first group received the drug intravenously for six hours daily for up to six days. The two remaining groups received medications that are unapproved for frostbite. The second group was given those medications with iloprost and the third group without it.

The patients received bone scans seven days after their initial frostbite to predict the need for amputation of at least one finger or toe.

On the seventh day, none of the patients in the first group receiving iloprost alone had bone scans that indicated potentially needing an amputation compared to 19% of patients in group two and 60% of patients in group three.

Additionally, abnormalities in the bone scan were significantly lower in the groups receiving iloprost alone or the iloprost combination.

“Most patients had follow-up information on whether they subsequently underwent at least one finger or toe amputation,” the FDA release said. “The need for amputation was consistent with the bone scan findings.”

During the trial, the most common side effects of Aurlumyn included flushing, headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, heart palpations, increased heart rate and low blood pressure.

Editor’s note: This story has been edited to reflect an update issued by the FDA to correct the name of the manufacturer of a newly approved drug that treats severe frostbite. Aurlumyn is manufactured by Eicos Sciences Inc.

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(NEW YORK) — Seven firefighters are injured, including two who are in critical condition, following an explosion in Los Angeles, according to the LA Fire Department.

The blast occurred when the firefighters responded to a semi-truck on fire early Thursday, the department said.

The semi-truck does “not run on diesel or on gasoline, but it is actually propelled … with compressed natural gas,” Fire Department Capt. Eric Scott said at a news conference.

Two 100-gallon tanks were on the truck, one of which exploded while firefighters were putting out the blaze, Scott said.

The flames were as high as telephone poles and exploded a transformer nearby, he said.

Officials do not know the condition of the driver or if the vehicle was moving at the time of the fire, Scott said.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(KANSAS CITY, Mo.) — The mass shooting that erupted at the end of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl celebration in Kansas City, Missouri, appeared to stem from a dispute, according to police.

The shooting, in which one person was killed and 22 were hurt, unfolded outside Union Station as Chiefs fans were leaving a parade and rally on Wednesday. More than 800 law enforcement officers were on duty in the area, as 1 million paradegoers were expected to attend the celebration, according to Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas.

Three suspects — including two juveniles — have been detained, according to Kansas City police. Charges have not been filed yet, police said. Several guns were recovered, police said.

The victims’ ages range from 8 years old to 47 years old, Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said Thursday.

At least half of the victims are under the age of 16, she said.

Fire officials said the victims included eight critically hurt and seven seriously hurt.

Children’s Mercy Kansas City Hospital said it admitted and treated a total of 12 patients, including 11 children, all of whom were expected to make a full recovery.

Killed in the shooting was Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a DJ at local radio station KKFI 90.1 FM.

“This senseless act has taken a beautiful person from her family and this KC Community,” the radio station said in a statement Wednesday.

The 44-year-old leaves behind her husband and two young children.

“We woke up this morning excited and the last thing we ever expected was to have a tragedy in our family,” her brother, Beto Lopez, told ABC News.

“I am angry,” Graves said. “The people who came to this celebration should expect a safe environment.”

All Chiefs players, coaches and staff were confirmed safe.

So far this year, there have been at least 48 mass shootings in the United States, with 81 killed and 165 wounded, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

ABC News’ Victoria Arancio, Youri Benadjaoud, Alexandra Faul and Pierre Thomas contributed to this report.

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(KANSAS CITY, Mo.) — The mass shooting that erupted at the end of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl celebration in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, appeared to stem from a dispute, according to police.

The shooting, in which one person was killed and 22 were hurt, unfolded outside Union Station as Chiefs fans were leaving a parade and rally. More than 800 law enforcement officers were on duty in the area, as 1 million paradegoers were expected to attend Wednesday’s celebration, according to Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas.

Three suspects — including two juveniles — have been detained, according to Kansas City police. Charges have not been filed yet, police said. Several guns were recovered, police said.

The victims’ ages range from 8 years old to 47 years old, Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said Thursday.

At least half of the victims are under the age of 16, she said.

Children’s Mercy Kansas City Hospital said it admitted and treated a total of 12 patients, including 11 children, all of whom were expected to make a full recovery.

Killed in the shooting was Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a DJ at local radio station KKFI 90.1 FM.

“This senseless act has taken a beautiful person from her family and this KC Community,” the radio station said in a statement Wednesday.

The 44-year-old leaves behind her husband and two young children.

“We woke up this morning excited and the last thing we ever expected was to have a tragedy in our family,” her brother, Beto Lopez, told ABC News.

“I am angry,” Graves said. “The people who came to this celebration should expect a safe environment.”

All Chiefs players, coaches and staff were confirmed safe.

So far this year, there have been at least 48 mass shootings in the United States, with 81 killed and 165 wounded, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

ABC News’ Victoria Arancio, Youri Benadjaoud, Alexandra Faul and Pierre Thomas contributed to this report.

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(NEW YORK) — The judge in former President Trump’s criminal hush money case in New York City says Trump’s trial will proceed on March 25 as planned.

In the case’s final hearing before the trial gets underway, Judge Juan Merchan began the proceedings Thursday by denying Trump’s motion to dismiss the case, saying the trial would begin March 25 with jury selection.

With Trump in the courtroom, his attorney Todd Blanche responded by arguing for a delay, saying Merchan was putting the former president “in an impossible position” by scheduling a trial in the midst of a series of “compressed and expedited schedules” elsewhere in the country, citing Trump’s criminal cases in Washington, Georgia and Florida.

Merchan — who said he had consulted twice with Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is overseeing Trump’s federal election interference case in Washington, D.C. — allowed Blanche to air several complaints before cutting him off, asking sharply, “Is there anything else you want to put on the record?”

“I’ve tried to work with you where it’s reasonable,” Merchan told Blanche. “You’re not going to be in two places at the same time.”

Blanche also insisted to Judge Merchan that the onslaught of media coverage is tainting the jury pool.

“The constitution affords the president a fair trial,” Blanche said.

“I appreciate what you’re saying about your client’s constitutional rights. I don’t want to violate his constitutional rights nor does anyone else,” Merchan said. “We are moving ahead towards jury selection on March 25.”

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has charged Trump with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, alleging that Trump falsified Trump Organization records to hide payments he made to his former lawyer Michael Cohen, who allegedly used the money to kill stories about Trump’s long-denied extramarital affairs with Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal just days before the 2016 election.

Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges and has denied all wrongdoing. His attorney Todd Blanche has argued in pretrial motions that the payments to Cohen were lawful money transfers from Trump’s own personal bank accounts.

“President Trump cannot be said to have falsified business records of the Trump Organization by paying his personal attorney using his personal bank accounts,” Blanche wrote.

The judge overseeing the case, Juan Manuel Merchan, scheduled Thursday’s hearing late last year to resolve pretrial motions and finalize the trial’s start date, which is currently scheduled for March 25.

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(NEW YORK) — The judge in former President Trump’s criminal hush money case in New York City says Trump’s trial will proceed on March 25 as planned, but the defense wants to delay that date.

In the case’s final hearing before the trial gets underway, Judge Juan Merchan began the proceedings Thursday by denying Trump’s motion to dismiss the case, saying the trial would begin March 25 with jury selection.

Defense attorney Todd Blanche responded by arguing for a delay.

Trump, who is present in the courtroom, entered the lower Manhattan courthouse shortly before 9 a.m. ET.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has charged Trump with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, alleging that Trump falsified Trump Organization records to hide payments he made to his former lawyer Michael Cohen, who allegedly used the money to kill stories about Trump’s long-denied extramarital affairs with Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal just days before the 2016 election.

Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges and has denied all wrongdoing. His attorney Todd Blanche has argued in pretrial motions that the payments to Cohen were lawful money transfers from Trump’s own personal bank accounts.

“President Trump cannot be said to have falsified business records of the Trump Organization by paying his personal attorney using his personal bank accounts,” Blanche wrote.

The judge overseeing the case, Juan Manuel Merchan, scheduled Thursday’s hearing late last year to resolve pretrial motions and finalize the trial’s start date, which is currently scheduled for March 25.

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(ATLANTA) — The judge overseeing former President Donald Trump’s Georgia election interference case is set to hear arguments over motions to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, primarily over accusations that she benefited financially from a personal relationship with a prosecutor she hired for the case.

Trump co-defendant Michael Roman, a former Trump campaign staffer, filed a motion last month seeking to dismiss the charges against him and disqualify Willis, alleging that she improperly benefited from a “personal, romantic relationship” with prosecutor Nathan Wade. Trump and seven other defendants in the case subsequently joined the effort.

Willis and Wade, in a court filing, admitted to the relationship but said it “does not amount to a disqualifying conflict of interest.” The office also flatly denied any financial benefit, saying the relationship “has never involved direct or indirect financial benefit to District Attorney Willis.”

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Feb 15, 8:45 AM
Attorneys have clashed in court filings

The district attorney’s office and attorneys for the defendants have traded accusations in a series of court filings leading up to Thursday’s hearing.

Trump co-defendant Michael Roman has accused Fani Willis and Nathan Wade of violating “laws regulating the use of public monies” and says they “suffer from irreparable conflicts of interest.” Specifically, he alleges Wade paid for multiple trips for him and Willis, including to Napa Valley and Belize. Credit card statements later revealed Wade paid for at least two flights for Willis on his credit card.

Wade, in an affidavit submitted to the court, said expenses between him and Willis were “roughly divided equally” and that he used his personal funds. The affidavit also said the relationship started after he was hired on the case in 2021, and that he and Willis have never cohabitated.

However, Roman’s attorney, Ashleigh Merchant, has alleged some of the statements in Wade’s affidavit were inaccurate. Merchant says she a witness ready to testify that the relationship predated Wade’s hiring, which would dispute Wade’s affidavit.

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(WASHINGTON) — An alleged gunman accused of shooting three Metropolitan Police Department officers in Washington, D.C., surrendered Wednesday night after a lengthy standoff, the Metropolitan Police Department confirmed.

The incident unfolded Wednesday morning around 7:30 a.m. when the officers went to a residence to serve an arrest warrant on a subject wanted on a charge of cruelty to animals.

Officers tried to make contact with the individual inside the home, but the suspect refused to go outside, Police Chief Pamela Smith told reporters earlier Wednesday.

Officers then tried to go inside the home, and the suspect then fired at them, Smith said.

The three officers suffered non-life-threatening gunshot wounds and were said to be in “good spirits” at local hospitals, Smith said. A fourth officer was injured but was not shot, she said. All are expected to recover, the MPD said Wednesday night.

The alleged gunman stayed barricaded until Wednesday evening. Authorities negotiated with the subject throughout the day.

The MPD identified the suspect as Julius James, 46, of Southeast, D.C.

He was arrested following his surrender and charged with Cruelty to Animals.

Authorities said additional charges for the assault on the four officers are pending.

ABC was not immediately able to find a legal representative for James.

Samantha Miller of the Humane Rescue Alliance told ABC News that dozens of dogs were recovered Wednesday.

“Officers with the Humane Rescue Alliance removed 31 dogs, 20 adults and 11 puppies, from the home. The dogs are in the care of HRA at a secure location, where they will be examined and provided with the care they need,” Miller said.

President Joe Biden is praying for the officers’ recoveries, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Wednesday.

“This shooting is yet another distressing and painful reminder of the toll gun violence is inflicting on families in our communities, and obviously on our nation,” Jean-Pierre said. “The president has taken executive actions to help keep guns out of the dangerous hands, and [the Department of Justice] is implementing the new gun trafficking law in the bipartisan Safer Communities Act, but it’s not enough. We need the Republicans in Congress to act — we need them to be willing to make sure that communities are safer.”

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(KANSAS CITY, Mo.) — Investigators are searching for answers after gunfire erupted near the end of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl celebration on Wednesday, killing one person and injuring at least 21 others.

The mass shooting unfolded outside Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri, as Chiefs fans were leaving a parade and rally for the NFL champions. More than 800 law enforcement officers were on duty in the area, as one million paradegoers were expected to attend Wednesday’s celebration, according to Kansas City Missouri Mayor Quinton Lucas.

Three suspects were detained and at least one firearm was recovered from the scene, according to the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department. An investigation into the shooting was ongoing, with the motive unclear.

Multiple law enforcement sources told ABC News on Wednesday that there was no evidence pointing to terrorism thus far and the local police department would remain the lead agency in the investigation for now.

“I am angry,” Kansas City Missouri Police Chief Graves told reporters Wednesday. “The people who came to this celebration should expect a safe environment.”

Investigators are still working to determine the total number of victims from the incident. Twenty-two people sustained gunshot wounds and one of them died, police said. Eight of the gunshot victims were hospitalized with “immediately” life-threatening injuries and seven with life-threatening injuries, according to the Kansas City Missouri Fire Department.

Children’s Mercy Kansas City Hospital admitted and treated a total of 12 patients from Wednesday’s shooting, including 11 children between the ages of 6 and 15, according to Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer Stephanie Meyer. Nine of the patients were gunshot victims and three were being treated for “incidental injuries,” Meyer said. All were expected to make a full recovery.

Local radio station KKFI 90.1 FM confirmed that its DJ, Lisa Lopez-Galvan, was killed in the shooting.

“It is with sincere sadness and an extremely heavy and broken heart that we let our community know that KKFI DJ Lisa Lopez, host of Taste of Tejano lost her life today in the shooting at the KC Chiefs’ rally. Our hearts and prayers are with her family,” the radio station said in a statement Wednesday. “This senseless act has taken a beautiful person from her family and this KC Community.”

All Chiefs players, coaches and staff were confirmed safe.

So far this year, there have been at least 48 mass shootings in the United States, with 81 killed and 165 wounded.

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