Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) on Tuesday renewed her call for a ban on assault weapons following the deadly shooting rampage at a grocery store in Boulder, Colorado, on Monday.
“Yesterday, our country was forced to endure yet another mass shooting, 10 people dead, including a police officer. All our hearts go out to all the families who lost a loved one yesterday, and the law enforcement who risk their lives in the line of duty,” Feinstein stated during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on gun violence, which was scheduled after last week’s deadly shooting in Atlanta, Georgia, where eight people were killed, six of whom were Asian women.
“These things are not going to stop, members, they’re just not,” California Democrat added. “I’ve sat here for a quarter of a century listening. They don’t stop. And if you give people the ability to easily purchase a weapon that can be devastating to large numbers of people, some of them will use that, under stress or for whatever reason.”
Earlier this month, Feinstein introduced legislation titled the “Assault Weapons Ban of 2021,” which would ban 205 assault weapons. The bill is co-sponsored by 34 Senate Democrats and would also ban ammunition magazines holding more than ten rounds.
On Monday afternoon, suspected gunman Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, 21, allegedly opened fire inside a King Soopers store, killing 10 people, including active-duty police officer Eric Talley, 51, before he was arrested by law enforcement.
Al Aliwi Alissa, a Denver resident, was reportedly shot in the leg during the rampage and received medical attention for his injuries at a nearby hospital. Al Aliwi Alissa has been charged with 10 counts of murder and is believed to be the only shooter.
Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty told reporters that investigators have not established a motive.
Al Aliwi Alissa reportedly came to the U.S. from Syria at the age of three-years-old and is an American citizen, according to ABC News reporter Aaron Katersky.
President Joe Biden echoed Feinstein’s remarks Tuesday, calling on Congress to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines along with tightening loopholes in the background check system.
Biden’s support for two House bills — H.R. 8 and H.R. 1446 — would create universal background checks and expand the length of time a background check can last, respectively, Breitbart News reporter AWR Hawkins has warned.
“I don’t need to wait another minute, let alone an hour, to take common-sense steps that will save lives in the future and to urge my colleagues in the House and Senate to act,” the president said in his remarks at the White House. “We can ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines in this country once again. I got that done when I was a senator. … We should do it again.”
“This is not and should not be a partisan issue, this is an American issue. It will save lives, American lives, and we have to act,” he added.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.