Shootings unabated in Philadelphia, leaving emotional, economic toll: U.S. media

NEW YORK, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- The shootings in Philadelphia, the largest city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania -- nearly 1,700 so far this year -- have unleashed a cascade of trauma on family members, friends, neighbors and first responders, and exacted a mounting financial toll, said an editorial published by The Philadelphia Inquirer on Tuesday.

"The shootings add to the already high stress levels from the COVID-19 pandemic that has claimed more than 1 million lives, a deadly insurrectionist riot at the U.S. Capitol, the war in Ukraine that could easily spiral into a global conflict, a zigzagging economy, a deepening political divide, and severe weather events brought on by climate change," said the article.

A recent poll found three-fourths of Americans consider gun violence a major problem, while eight in 10 say gun violence is on the rise, according to the article.

Meanwhile, 71 percent of those polled think that gun safety laws should be stricter. Such a commonsense move would save lives and money, it noted.

More broadly, gun violence is impacting how people live their lives, noted the article, citing a survey by the American Psychological Association as saying that 81 percent said they are anxious about gun violence, while 40 percent say they have avoided going to public places with large gatherings, such as movie theaters, nightclubs and concerts.