US mass shootings mark first weekend of summer

The first weekend of summer was marked by a tragic but familiar scenario for American cities ravaged by gun violence: mass shootings left dozens dead or injured at a party in Alabama, in a entertainment district in Ohio and at a grocery store in Arkansas.

It was the second weekend in a row which has seen a surge in mass shootings across the United States, prompting mayors in violence-affected regions to seek help.

In Michigan, a deputy was fatally shot while chasing a suspected stolen vehicle in what the county sheriff described as an ambush. A Philadelphia police officer was seriously injured Saturday after stopping a car with four people.

Police in Montgomery, Alabama, said hundreds of shots were fired at a crowded party early Sunday, leaving nine people injured. Acting Police Chief John Hall said investigators recovered more than 350 different shell casings.

“This senseless violence simply has to stop,” said Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, who called it a blessing that no one died while asking for help to keep guns out of the hands of criminals.

Gunshots also broke out early Sunday on the main street of a popular dining and entertainment district near downtown Columbus, Ohio.

Ten people were injured, including one in critical condition, leading the city's mayor to call for more action from the state and federal governments to prevent guns from circulating in streets and for parents to supervise their children. Mayor Andrew Ginther said gun violence “is outrageous, unacceptable and must stop.”

One person was killed and seven others were injured in Dayton, Ohio, after a shooting early Monday in a neighborhood where a large crowd had gathered, police said. Six people were injured early Sunday in a park in Rochester, New York, after police said at least one person began shooting into the crowd.

One man was killed and five others injured in a shooting in downtown St. Louis early Sunday that police say began when a fight broke out between several women and men armed with weapons fire.

The weekend of mass shootings began Friday in the small town of Fordyce, Arkansas, where four people were killed and 11 others injured, including the suspected shooter. The gunfire sent shoppers and store employees into hiding. Among those killed was a 23-year-old new mother.

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Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio, and Johnson reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writer Kimberly Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama, contributed to this report.