Pope Francis on August 4, 2019, offered his spiritual closeness and offered prayers for the victims and families of three mass shootings in the United States, two of them coming within 24 hours.
«Dear brothers and sisters, I am spiritually close to the victims of the episodes of violence that have bloodied Texas, California, and Ohio, in the United States, striking defenseless people. Offering my prayers for those who have lost their lives, for the wounded and their families,» the Holy Father said after praying the noonday Angelus with the large crowds gather in St. Peter’s Square.
Three horrible events have struck the United States in the past few days, claiming the lives of more than 30 people and leaving dozens wounded.
Nine people were killed and at least 26 wounded in Dayton, Ohio, the morning of August 4, in the city’s historic Oregon District, popular for its restaurants and nightclubs.
The Dayton tragedy comes less than 24 hours after a young man opened fire at a crowded Walmart in El Paso, Texas, killing 20 and wounding dozens more.
These two acts of violence came in the wake of the July 28 shooting at Northern California’s Gilroy Garlic Festival, which killed three people, including two children.
Sunday’s shooting in Dayton, Ohio was the 22nd mass killing of 2019 in the United States, according to Vatican News.
