Mass shootings in U.S. over Memorial Day weekend kill nine, injure 60

May 31 (UPI) -- At least 14 mass shootings occurred in the U.S. over the Memorial Day weekend, killing nine people and injuring 60.

The wave of violence followed the mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, one week ago that left 19 children and two teachers dead. Funerals for two of those children were scheduled for Tuesday.

Gun Violence Archive, which tracks shootings in the United States, said there were at least 14 "mass shootings" from early Saturday through late Monday.

The organization defines a mass shooting as an incident in which "four or more people are shot or killed, not including the shooter."

Preliminary data on the weekend's gun violence -- including mass shootings -- left at least 156 people dead and 412 injured from 5 p.m. ET Friday to 5 a.m. Tuesday, the Gun Violence Archive said.

In Chicago, for example, 51 people were shot over the holiday weekend in multiple incidents that resulted in nine deaths and 42 injured, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Two of those incidents were mass shooting incidents.

Even since the Sandy Hook massacre a decade ago, Congress has been unable to advance legislation that might reduce mass shootings.

President Joe Biden last week expressed his continued frustration with that stalemate.

"As a nation we have to ask: When in God's name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby? When in God's name do we do what we all know in our gut needs to be done?" Biden said. "I am sick and tired, we have to act," Biden said. "Don't tell me we can't have an impact on this carnage."

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell last week announced the start of bipartisan meetings in an attempt to find common ground on gun legislation that could reduce mass shootings. But as of Tuesday morning, there was no reported movement towards any proposed legislation.

Meanwhile, the Senate on Thursday failed to pass a bill to create domestic terrorism offices within federal law enforcement agencies in the wake of the Texas mass shooting and another at a Buffalo grocery store earlier in the month. Both of those incidents involved 18-year-old men who purchased AR-15-style weapons that were used in the shootings.