March 2020 was apparently the first March in nearly two decades without a school shooting in the US.
What should be an encouraging development was also a shocking observation for many online.
The COVID-19 Pandemic Has Disrupted Just About Every Aspect Of American Life
There have been a few unintentional positive consequences from the nationwide lockdown.
For instance, air pollution has dropped significantly, giving us a glimpse at what a post-carbon world may look like.
NASA revealed that NO₂ pollution over New York and other major metropolitans in the US was 30% lower in March 2020.
In another report, Americans are also adopting shelter cats, and dogs like never before.
There's also one massive unintended consequence of the pandemic. March 2020 was the first March since 2002 that didn't have a school shooting in the United States.
What Defines "Mass Shooting?"
The Justice Department describes "mass killing" as 3 or more killings in a single episode, excluding the death of a gunman.
However, there's no legal definition for the phrase "mass shootings." It can get meaning quite loosely from the definition of "mass killing."
America Had Horrific Mass Shootings Every Year, For Decades
When a country needs a site to keep track of its nearly-daily mass shootings, you know things need to change.
As you can see, Mass Shooting Tracker lays out the horrifying fatalities statistics by month and year.
The numbers highlight just how dangerous the country has become.
It's Time For The Government To Wake Up
According to a study by the New England Journal of Medicine, gun violence is the leading cause of death for school children in the US, right after car crashes.
And Everytown Research reports that there have been at least 33 incidents of gunfire on school grounds in 2020. This has resulted in 10 deaths and 15 injuries.
In 2019, there were over 130 incidents of gunfire on school grounds, resulting in 77 injuries and 32 deaths.
Mass School Shootings Still Haunt Us From The Past
One of the earliest recorded mass school shootings dates back to 1966.
At the time, an engineering student at the University of Texas killed 17 people and injured 22 during a shooting rampage.
This was the deadliest school shooting until the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007.
And We Cherish The Memories Of The Thousands Lost To School Shootings
But despite the efforts to keep these memories alive, some chose to disrespect these tragedies.
For instance, one fashion brand, Bstroy, features a men's wear collection of hoodies designed to look like they've survived a school shooting.
People Have Slammed Bstroy For Its Insensitive Designs
On Instagram, one person said:
"My dead classmates should not be a f****** fashion statement."
Another wrote:
"I lived through this. To make money off of something pathetic like this is disgusting. You don't even know how it is to live every day with reminders everywhere you go."
But amid the current global pandemic, last month marked the first March without a school shooting in America, since 2002.
Twitter User Robert Klemko Tweeted The Observation
In follow-up tweets, Klemko based the statistics from EverytownResearch.org.
