Haiku for Mass Shootings

I’ve decided to write a haiku every time there’s a mass murder. I’m starting with the first one that I remember, which was in 1991. Then I included a haiku for Pulse, because it was one that hit particularly hard for me, and then I move into each mass shooting since 2018. I want this project to end soon. But I am not that hopeful. - Eve Lyons

Note:The FBI defines mass murder as murdering four or more persons during an event with no "cooling-off period" between the murders.

1991
1.
Twenty-three people
Luby's Cafeteria
He hated women.

2016
2.
Forty-nine people
He was a self-hating gay
A night club called Pulse.

2018 
3.
Fifty-eight people
Country music in Vegas
Recently, he lost.

4.
Twenty-six people
Praying in a Texas church
He taught Bible school.

5.
Five dead, ten injured
California ranch and school
"Domestic dispute."

6.
Kentucky farm town
Sixteen kids injured, two dead
Played in the school band.

7.
Seventeen kids dead
Nothing left in Florida
Recently expelled.

8.
Two AM waffles
Four murdered in Tennessee
White supremacist.

 9.
High school in Texas
Eight students, two teachers killed
“He was quiet, weird.”

10.
Also in Texas
Abusive ex-husband kills
Three kids, new boyfriend.

11.
Five killed, three injured
Journalists in Maryland
This is not fake news.

12.
Texas nursing home
One man murders his father,
stepmom, two brothers, self.

13.
New Orleans strip mall
“This had to be personal”
Ten people, three dead.

14.
Cincinnati bank
“This could have been a bloodbath”
Only four people.

15.
Known anti-Semite
Killed eleven in a shul
President stokes hate

Someone’s brit milah
Sabbath peace has been broken
Pittsburgh's not Eden.

16.
Country music bar
Twelve shot in "safest city"
Weird and mean loner.

17.
Mercy Hospital Chicago
gunman kills four
"Domestic dispute."


2019 


18.
Sebring, Florida
Killed five women in a bank
He called 911.

19.
Two homes, yards apart 
Four dead in Rockmart, Georgia
"He was a cool kid."

20.
Shot three in a bar
Home invasion, killed owner
Penn State shooting spree

21.
Houston Texas home
Five cops and two suspects killed
Serving drug warrant

22.
Ascension Parish
Family of five all killed
Young man they took in.

23.
Five dead in Texas
Parents, grandparents, toddler
Murder suicide.

24.
Five killed in a plant
In Aurora Illinois
He had been fired.

25.
Mother and daughter
Killed five in Philly suburb
Their own family.

 26.
Twelve dead, four injured
 “Won’t define Virginia Beach”
 City employee.

 27.
Four dead, fifteen shot
Gilroy Garlic Festiva
"I'm really angry."

28.
Bar in Ohio
Twenty-seven hurt, nine killed
One was his sister

 29.
Twenty killed, more hurt
Victims fear seeking help
El Paso Wal-Mart

30. 
Hijacked postal truck
Eight dead, twenty-one injured
Odessa, Texas

31.
Kosher grocery
Six killed in Jersey City
Black on Jewish crime.

2020

32.
Seven people killed
Milwaukee shooting rampage
Molson Coors beer plant

2021

33. 

Eight killed, dozens hurt

Atlanta massage parlors

Hate crimes toward Asians

34. 

Ten people murdered

King Sooper store in Boulder

Giving Covid shots.

35. 

Mobile home broker

Four dead in California

One was only nine.

36. 

South Carolina

Treating footballer’s parents

Doc’s family killed. 

37. 

Fed Ex near airport

Eight killed in Indiana

Former employee.

38. 

Colorado Springs

Six killed at birthday party 

Gunman shot himself. 

39. 

Hijacked postal truck

Five dead, twenty-one injured

Odessa, Texas

40. 

Nine train workers killed

San Jose man burned his own home 

Then he killed himself.

41. 

Four teens killed by teen

Fighting in Colorado

Neighbor tried to warn. 

2022

42. 
Routine welfare check 
Six murdered in Milwaukee 
Maybe bad drug deal? 

43. 
After a street fight 
Six dead in Sacramento
Twelve people injured 

44.
Ten Black people killed
Buffalo supermarket 
He drove three hours. 

45. 
Children killed at school
Twenty-one in Uvalde
Shot his grandma first.

46. 

Tulsa hospital 

Five killed including shooter

He was a patient. 

47.

Highland Park parade

Seven killed on July fourth

How American. 

48.

Colorado Springs

Five murdered, dozens injured

A place called Club Q. 

49. 

Six murdered in Virginia 

He entered the staff breakroom 

Chesapeake Walmart.

2023

 

50.

Lunar new year fest

Ten dead in Monterey Park

Mostly Asian town

51.

Landscaping business

Seven dead in Half Moon Bay

This shooter was old.

52. 

A store and two homes 

Six dead in Mississippi 

Ex-wife and others.

53.

Three kids, three adults 

The shooter was a trans man

Nashville Christian school 

54.

Shot in Louisville

Former bank employee

Five killed, six injured. 

55.

Teen’s birthday party

Four dead in Alabama

Twenty-eight injured.

56.

Neighbors in Texas

Five people shot in the head 

One was only eight.

57.

Nine killed at a mall

Shooter posted video

Suburb of Dallas.

58. 

Baltimore street fest

Two dead, twenty-eight injured

Shooter was a teen

59. 

Five dead four wounded 

Sided with Philly police

Ranted on Facebook

60.
Manhunt and lockdown
Eighteen dead in Lewiston.
A night out bowling.

61. 

He murdered his parents

Six dead in Central Texas

Discharged from army.

62. 

Three killed, shooter shot

Mayhem on college campus

He sought a job there.

63.

Fordyce, Arkansas

Trucker in a grocery

Four dead, nine injured

64. 

Chicago L train 

Four people killed while sleeping

Black man arrested

65. 

Apalachee High

Four dead and thirty injured

Back to school season