United States: 17 killed in Feb. 14 school shooting in Florida /update 2

Event

The death toll from the school shooting that occurred in Parkland, Florida, on February 14 has risen to 17 (as of early February 15). At least another six people have been wounded, including three that remain in critical condition. The lone shooter was taken into custody by police after initially fleeing the scene, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Context

Mass shootings are common in the US; five other school shooting incidents involving causalities have occurred in the country since the beginning of the year alone. Since 2013 there have been nearly 300 such incidents, one every week on average. The Parkland attack was carried out with an AR-15 semi-automatic assault rifle, which had been purchased legally.

Advice

Individuals in Parkland are advised to avoid the area until the situation normalizes.