Frequent shootings put US mass killings on a record pace

By STEFANIE DAZIO, LARRY FENN and COLLEEN SLEVIN
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The U.S. remains on a torrid pace for mass killings this year. The shooting deaths of four people in an RV in California over the weekend represented the 19th mass killing of the year. That is according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in a partnership with Northeastern University. In the first four months of the year, 97 people had been killed in the 19 mass killings, exceeding the record set in 2009 when 93 people were killed in 17 incidents by the end of April. Only 2009 was marked by as many such tragedies in the same period of time. On average, the data shows at least four people have died in mass killings about once a week. The numbers exclude the deaths of perpetrators.