周五，一名少年枪手在犹他州格兰茨维尔一个安静的社区杀死了四个人。这似乎是自2007年以来，犹他州发生的最大规模枪击案。
据美国枪支*力暴**档案网(Gun Violence Archive)统计，截至2020年1月17日，在仅仅半个多月时间里，全美死于枪击*力暴**的人数高达1784人，其中662人死于谋杀和枪械事故，1122人死于自杀。
美国作为世界上最大的民用枪支持有国，和发生大规模枪击事件最多的国家，在过去的一年里经历了什么？在新的一年里又会出现什么变化呢？
In the latest mass shooting case in the United States, a boy armed with a gun killed four people in a quiet neighborhood in Grantsville, Utah on Friday.
CGTN looks back at the U.S. mass shootings in recent years to see if the year 2020 would see relief in gun violence in the United States – the world's largest civilian gun-owning country, which has suffered the most mass shooting incidents.
大规模枪击数量再创新高
根据枪支*力暴**档案的数据，按照这个定义，在2019年，美国共发生共有417起大规模枪击事件。
If we take the broadest definition, which describes a mass shooting as a gun incident where four or more people are injured or killed, then the year of 2019 saw a record number of mass shootings in the United States.
Under this definition, there were 417 mass shootings in 2019, according to Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit corporation that tracks gun violence across the country.
Among the deadliest last year was the killing of 22 victims in El Paso, Texas in August.
公众呼吁加强对枪支的法律管控
自从1996年大规模枪击事件发生后，澳大利亚实施了严格的枪支管控措施，过去20年里再无此类事件发生。而新西兰也在去年3月份造成51人死亡克赖斯特彻奇袭击事件后迅速修订了枪支法，截至去年12月，超过5.6万支枪支被移交给了有关部门。
调查显示，近年来越来越多的美国民众支持实施更严格的枪支法律。
Many believe most of these deaths and injuries might have been avoided if guns had been strictly controlled.
Australia is an often-cited case when it comes to how to eradicate mass shootings. Since the nation implemented tough gun control measures after a mass shooting in 1996, there have been no such cases over the past 20 years.
New Zealand also overhauled its gun laws swiftly in the wake of the Christchurch attack in March that claimed 51 lives. As of December, over 56,000 guns were handed over to authorities in its buyback program following a ban on assault weapons.
The United States is also seeing a rise in support for stricter gun laws in recent years, according to surveys.
By estimates, the number of firearms available to American civilians is at around 393 million, which means the U.S. alone owns over 45 percent of civilian-owned firearms globally, according to Small Arms Survey (2018).
On average, Americans also possess more guns than residents of any other country.
…但收效甚微
近年来，美国大规模枪击事件的激增引发了有关枪支管制改革的激烈辩论。然而，讨论的声音不断，对于受害者的缅怀也不断，却没有看到任何真正起作用的措施。
The spike in U.S. mass shootings in recent years has stoked emotional and heated debates on gun control reforms. However, little has been done but for thoughts and prayers for the victims.
In February 2019, the House of Representatives passed sweeping gun legislation that would require universal background checks for most gun purchases or transfers.
This could have been the Congress' most significant step in gun control over the past two decades. But the Republican-controlled Senate has not taken any action on the bill since the House passed it.
Following two weeks deadly attacks in Dayton, Ohio, and El Paso, Texas in August, President Donald Trump said "serious discussions" would take place between congressional leaders on "meaningful" background checks for gun purchases.
But the president backed away from his support after a long phone call with National Rifle Association (NRA) CEO Wayne LaPierre.
Speaking to the public after the call, Trump said the real gun safety issue was mental health, and emphasized that the U.S. had "very, very strong background checks right now" – positions that echoed the views of the NRA.
美国全国步枪协会
导致控枪迟迟没有进展的“元凶”众人皆知——美国全国步枪协会及其政府盟友。
这个拥有大约500万成员的枪支组织每年花费数百万美元游说华盛顿的议员和机构，这笔费用会随着大规模枪击案件的增加而增加。
Advocates for tougher gun legislation have no doubt who is to blame each time their efforts were derailed: The NRA and its allies in government.
The country's leading gun group – which has about five million members – spent several million U.S. dollars each year lobbying lawmakers and agencies in Washington.
Its annual lobbying fee rises together with the number of mass shooting cases. The spending peaked in 2017, when the deadliest shooting in modern U.S. history stroke Las Vegas.
The NRA, together with other interest groups, has thwarted nearly all the gun control bills through lobbying and money donations.
"…the foundation of U.S. democracy is general elections, which are inseparable from money. Gun-related interest groups gain political influence through monetary donations and they prevent the government from controlling guns. At the same time, candidates, with the purpose of winning more votes, often cater to voters who advocate the right to hold guns," as an article issued after the deadly El Paso shooting pointed out.
The high degree of political polarization between Republicans and Democrats is also killing the chance of a legislative breakthrough in gun reform, as the stalled background check attempt in 2019 indicated.
Moreover, the right to bear arms is enshrined in the second amendment of the U.S. constitution. At the national level, civilians who oppose stricter gun laws usually stay firm in their belief, while those for it – their attention and emotion tend to fade as time goes by.
With a general election coming in 2020, experts expect no positive change in terms of gun violence this year.