Domestic violence shootings affect more than just partners

The Colorado Springs shooting showcases how domestic violence is tied to mass shootings that leave bystanders dead.

The murderous wrath of a scorned boyfriend in Colorado Springs, Colorado, recently had deadly consequences for his girlfriend and her family, police said. The devastating May 9 attack, which unfolded on Mother's Day while the man's girlfriend and family were celebrating a birthday, served as a sobering reminder of the inextricable link between domestic violence and gun homicides -- and the ripple effect it has upon the innocent lives nearby. The gunman reportedly opened fire after he wasn't invited to the party, killing six people ranging in age between 21 to 52, before taking his own life, police said. Domestic violence played a role in 54% of mass shootings in the U.S. between 2009 and 2018, according to Everytown For Gun Safety, a nonprofit organization that advocates for gun control. In 61% of mass shootings, defined as having four or more victims, from 2014 to 2017, perpetrators had previously been involved in the justice system for domestic violence offenses, according to a 2019 study by the American Society of Criminology.