Shootings at graduation parties reminder of gun violence ‘epidemic’ for students, advocates

More than 20,000 people have been killed by firearms so far in 2021.

After a year of students dealing with the emotional and mental toll of remote school on top of a deadly pandemic, the return to in-person learning was seen as a return to some semblance of normalcy. But for many students, the return to schools, and gathering in larger groups is also a reminder of the underlying threat of gun violence, which has surged into the spotlight in recent months. The COVID-19 pandemic coincided with an unexpected rise in gun violence and recently, several graduation-related events that have resulted in shootings highlight the “epidemic” of gun violence in the U.S, officials said. Activists say the incidents reveal a number of issues, including the sheer number of guns in the country, the lack of security around those guns, minimal consequences in many non-fatal shootings and what they say are "weak" gun laws.