Ricochet: An American Trauma

In 2020, more than 45,000 Americans died as a result of gun-related injuries, the highest number on record. Guns became the greatest cause of mortality for American children. So far this year, there have been over 400 mass shootings in the United States, including tragedies in Buffalo, New York and Uvalde, Texas. America’s decades-long epidemic of gun violence has resulted in a distinct sort of communal trauma. It is felt by survivors of shootings, victims’ relatives and friends, first responders, community members, and people across the country who watch events develop on television and social media.