July 4 shooting: several dead by gunfire in Texas

Three people, including a teenager, were shot dead in a backyard in San Antonio, Texas, in the early hours of Thursday.

Officers responded to a shooting around 2:30 a.m. at a home near Steves Avenue, where police said a group of men were walking around and firing shots, including into the backyard.

Once on scene, police found a 17-year-old boy with a gunshot wound to his arm. They were also informed that two other men in their thirties had also been hit. Both men suffered abdominal injuries, and one of them had also been hit in the shoulder and leg.

All three victims were taken to the hospital, with two in stable condition and one in serious condition, according to KENS 5. Four men were later arrested in connection with the incident, the San Antonio Police Department told the outlet.

The shooting is under investigation, but so far no information has been released about the circumstances of the incident or whether those arrested knew the victims.

Newsweek I contacted the San Antonio Police Department for more information via the contact form on their website outside of normal business hours.

Another shooting took place in Dallas on Thursday morning, leaving one person dead. The incident, which occurred shortly after 1 a.m., was committed by police officers responding to a robbery.

Police said three suspects were fleeing through the back door of an illegal gambling hall when one of the men pointed a gun at an officer and started a fight.

The officer discharged his weapon, causing the suspect's death.

Newsweek I also contacted the Dallas Police Department for more information via email outside of normal business hours.

Under Gov. Greg Abbott, Texas has relaxed its gun laws in recent years to allow Texans to carry handguns without a permit or training, a policy often called “constitutional gun control” by Republicans.

Gun violence has increased in the state in recent years, increasing 46% between 2012 and 2021, according to the gun control nonprofit Everytown for Gun Safety.

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy declared gun violence a public health crisis last month, in an unprecedented statement of its kind.

He cited a study that found gun violence was the leading cause of death among Americans ages 1 to 19 since 2020.

The report says 54% of American adults or their family members have been victims of a “firearm-related incident,” including 19% who have lost a family member to gun violence.