The United States is not only facing a global health pandemic, but it is also struggling to solve the increasing number of shootings and gun deaths in many large cities.  

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The U.S. leads the world with the highest number of infections and while the country struggles to flatten the curve, this time more than three dozen of America's largest cities are seeing a double-digit spike in homicide rates, according to a Fox News report. 

In another report published in Wall Street Journalthe country's 50 largest cities have been surveyed, and these cities recorded a staggering rise in murders. There was an increase of 24 percent or around 3,612 murders this year compared to the data last year. 

Moreover, cities like New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago have been plagued by a recent increase in shootings and gun deaths. This escalated debate over gun violence, which disproportionately impacted communities heavily impacted by the virus.

From January 1 to July, New York City has recorded 777 shootings, higher than the record last year. Philadelphia, on the other hand, has recorded more than 1,000 shootings with more than 240 people killed. 

On Saturday, the Chicago Police Department also released its murder rate for the first seven months of 2020. According to the data the department presented, there have been 440 homicides, and 2,240 people have been shot. It added that there were 150 more gun deaths and more than 760 shootings this year than last year. 

The increase in gun violence has been very alarming this month. In the past few days, 36 persons have been victims of gun violence in New York City, leading to seven deaths. Chicago has also recorded 105 homicides and 584 shootings this month. 

Meanwhile, as the number of gun violence and shootings increased, crimes like robberies, rapes, and burglaries decreased in the past few months when people have been asked to stay at home due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Murder rates in the country have increased in cities with a typically high crime such as Detroit and Philadelphia. Additionally, there is also an increase in murder rates in places not usually associated with violence like Phoenix and Omaha.

In this time of global pandemic wherein most people stay at home, violence like murder, homicide, and domestic violence has increased. The spike of these cases could be because of the stress brought by the pandemic to the perpetrator. 

In general, violence has increased in the country this year compared to last year. To address this problem, President Donald Trump announced he was sending federal agents to cities with a high number of cases, including Chicago. 

The federal government's action is part of what Trump called "Operation Legend," which aims to help local authorities solve and fight these crimes. It can be recalled that shootings and killings have been among the major problems in the country that even led to mass protests. 

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