Mass shootings in the US mar the first weekend of summer

The first weekend of summer brought a tragic but familiar pattern for American cities wracked by gun violence, as mass shootings left dozens dead or injured at a party in Alabama, an entertainment district in Ohio and a supermarket in Arkansas.

It was the second straight weekend of mass shootings in the US, prompting mayors in places marred by the violence to plead for help.

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

Police in Montgomery, Alabama, said hundreds of bullets were fired at a crowded party early Sunday, wounding nine people. Interim Police Chief John Hall said investigators have recovered more than 350 different spent 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.

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

Ten people were injured, one of whom was in critical condition. The city’s mayor called for more action from state and federal governments to keep guns off the streets and parents to keep an eye on their children. Mayor Andrew Ginther said the gun violence is “outrageous, unacceptable and it must stop.”

The weekend of mass shootings began Friday in the small town of Fordyce, Arkansas, where four people were killed and another 11 injured — including the alleged shooter. The gunfire sent shoppers and store employees running for cover. Among the dead was a 23-year-old new mother.

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