Mass shootings are up 40% over this time a year ago as America suffered another violent weekend that killed nine and injured at least 47 in eight shooting sprees. Victims included an 18-month-old and a four-year-old,

As America approaches a halfway point in the year, the nation has suffered 272 mass shootings, reports the Gun Violence Archive. At this point last year, there were 194 such killings.

This weekend’s shootings include ones in Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas and Washington state.

“Our nation has endured heartbreak time and time again resulting from the acts of deranged individuals intent on killing and harming others,” said DeWitt Peart, president, and CEO of Downtown Austin Alliance. “This senseless violence must end.” His Texas city was one of the places where violence struck this weekend. One died, with 13 others wounded, two of them critical.

In Winston-Salem, not that far south from our town in Southwestern Virginia, police found one dead and three more wounded. In Ohio, three died in what Cleveland police called “a shootout-type situation.” At least three others were wounded. Gun violence in Cincianatti left four wounded, including two children, one age 6 and the other 8.

Austin was not the only Texas community hit by gun violence. Shooters mowed down five in Dallas, including a four-year-old girl. Police there call it “a disturbance regarding an unknown matter.” So far, none of the five have died.

In Chicago, two men opened fire and wounded at least 10 and killing one. Another eight were wounded in Savannah, Georgia. One died and the others are hopitalized.