Year in Review: 2015

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A family visits a memorial honoring victims of the San Bernardino shooting. Photo by Jae C. Hong/AP.

By Jake Smith, Assistant Editor-in-chief

Like every year, 2015 was a mix of good and bad. Movements were born and gained huge followings. People helped each other and turned others away. People had fun and were gunned down. Both progress and setbacks abounded. In 2016, we should all agree to keep the better parts of this year around and collectively agree to stop killing each other, okay? Let’s take a look back at the insanity that was 2015.

 

January 7: Shooting at Charlie Hebdo offices

From January 7-9, masked shooters claimed the lives of 17 people and injured many more, centering around an attack at the Paris headquarters of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical magazine made infamous by portraying the prophet Muhammad on its covers. In the days after, the world responded by showing solidarity with the victims with the phrase “Je Suis Charlie.”

 

February 10: Shooting in Chapel Hill

Three Muslim students from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill  – Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, and Deah Shaddy Barakat – were found dead at their home, shot to death. Later that day, their neighbor, Craig Stephen Hicks, confessed to the murder later that day.

 

March 24: Germanwings crash

A horrific plane crash this spring in the French Alps claimed the lives of all 150 people onboard. In the weeks after the crash, investigations found that the copilot was responsible for the airline’s first major accident.

 

April 4: Shooting of Walter Scott

A video surfaced of a police officer shooting Walter Scott, an unarmed man with his back to the officer, in North Carolina. The shooting raised concerns about the state of policing in America, and the officer, Michael Slager, was indicted in June.

 

April 27: Protests erupt in Baltimore

After the funeral of Freddie Gray, a Baltimore resident who died while in police custody, many in the city of Baltimore began to take to the streets in protest. While violence did erupt, resulting in looting and fires, the vast majority of Baltimore helped clean up and stood together in peaceful protests to call attention to Gray’s death.

A protester in Baltimore launches a gas canister back at police. Photo by Eric Thayer/Reuter.

May 25: Earthquake rocks Nepal

A 7.3 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal this May, causing historic destruction and over 8,500 deaths. The country is still struggling to rebuild today.

 

June 1: Caitlyn Jenner introduces herself

Say what you will about Caitlyn Jenner, formerly Bruce, but her reveal on the cover of Vanity Fair, shot by Annie Leibowitz, is easily one of 2015’s biggest and most important moments. Jenner had already come out on 20/20, but this was the world’s first glimpse at Caitlyn herself.

 

June 16: Trump enters the race

On a Tuesday afternoon this summer, Donald Trump launched his 2016 Republican presidential bid. Slowly, he has gone from being a joke within the party to the front-runner in several national polls.

Trump meets his supporters. Photo by Mark Wallheiser/ Getty Images.

June 17: Shooting in Charleston

During Bible study at at historically black church in Charleston, South Carolina, a white man opened fire on the people inside, killing nine. The suspect, Dylann Roof, was arrested the next day. He had aspirations of inciting a race war, but the shooting ended up bringing the community together and led to the takedown of the Confederate flag at the SC Capitol.

 

June 26: #LoveWins

The Supreme Court decided in a historic ruling that same-sex marriage would be permitted in all 50 states, finally putting to rest the debate over the issue.

 

July 6: U.S. wins the World Cup

For the first time in 16 years, the U.S., led by Carli Lloyd against Japan, won the Women’s World Cup. Lloyd scored three times during the game, easily defeating the 2011 champions.

 

July 14: NASA sees Pluto

Pictures taken this summer by NASA’s New Horizon spacecraft have given the world its best glimpse yet at the dwarf planet, revealing a heart-shaped formation on its surface.

 

July 26: New York Magazine confronts Bill Cosby

In a landmark move, New York Magazine published a cover story with 35 of Bill Cosby’s accusers providing their own stories. The cover’s striking image spawned #TheEmptyChair where women shared their own stories of abuse.

September 2: Syrian crisis reaches a tipping point

The body of a Syrian refugee washed ashore in Turkey after his family tried to gain passage into the country, prompting the world to take a closer look at the huge exodus of people from the Middle East.

 

September 22: The Pope visits America

During a six-day trip to America, Pope Francis visited Washington, New York, and Philadelphia, bringing masses to the three cities to see his speeches.

 

October 1: Shooting in Roseburg

Umpqua Community College, a small school in Oregon, was attacked this fall by a gunman who apparently posted a warning about the shooting online. The shooter took the lives of nine people.

 

November 4: Massacre in Paris

Coordinated attacks at multiple locations in Paris, culminating in a shooting at a concert venue, claimed the lives of over 120 people. Paris, in a move of understanding, kept its borders open to refugees even when information came to light that one of the shooters might have been a refugee.

Parisians mourn the victims of an attack at a cafe. Photo by Antoine Antoniol/Getty Images.

November 27: Shooting in Colorado Springs

A man identified as Robert Dear attacked a Planned Parenthood center in Colorado thinking that he was protecting life, when, in the end, he took the lives of three people.

 

December 2: Shooting in San Bernardino

Less than a week after the events in Colorado Springs, two married shooters attacked a health center in San Bernardino, California in the worst attack on U.S. soil since 9/11. The pair massacred 14 people and were killed after the attack. Their motives remain a mystery.