Shootings across the U.S. during the celebration of the Fourth of July resulted in at least four fatalities and several injuries, according to multiple reports.
In Chicago, a shooting claimed the lives of two women, aged 42 and 22, in their home on the city’s south side. The incident stemmed from an apparent personal dispute, which also left three young boys, aged 8, 7 and 5, wounded, The Associated Press (AP) reported. The assailants in two vehicles opened fire on the residence, with evidence of both rifle and handgun shell casings found at the scene, according to Deputy Chief Don Jerome, the outlet stated.
2 women in Chicago and Cleveland police officer are among those killed in July Fourth shootings https://t.co/9dfDkUxNUz
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 4, 2024
In another incident early Thursday morning in Cleveland, Officer Jamieson Ritter, 27, was fatally shot while serving a warrant for felonious assault, AP reported. The suspect, seen fleeing the scene, reportedly fired multiple shots that struck the officer. (RELATED: Juneteenth Celebration In Oakland Turns Violent As Several People Are Shot)
The violence extended to Yellowstone National Park after one individual died and a park ranger was wounded in a shooting, officials said in the news release. The incident, which began overnight, involved rangers confronting a threatening armed person. Gunfire was exchanged, resulting in the suspect‘s death and the ranger’s hospitalization in stable condition.
Additionally, the holiday witnessed a fatal shooting in a Seattle suburb, where Jayda Woods-Johnson, a 13-year-old girl, was killed at a mall Wednesday night. The victim was not involved in the altercation that escalated when a teenager fired a handgun during a confrontation between two groups, AP reported. A 16-year-old boy suspected of the shooting was later brought to the police by his mother.
