President Biden on Sunday responded to a lethal mass taking pictures at an outlet mall in Texas by ordering U.S. flags at federal buildings flown at half-staff and calling on Congress to go gun-control legal guidelines, together with a ban on military-style rifles or “assault weapons.”

The president stated he was praying for the victims and households impacted by the assault that killed eight individuals and wounded seven Saturday at a mall in Allen, Texas.

He additionally expressed gratitude to the primary responders who killed the gunman, however stated the tragedy was “all too familiar.”

“Yesterday, an assailant in tactical gear armed with an AR-15 style assault weapon gunned down innocent people in a shopping mall, and not for the first time. Such an attack is too shocking to be so familiar. And yet, American communities have suffered roughly 200 mass shootings already this year, according to leading counts,” Mr. Biden stated in a press release. “More than 14,000 of our fellow citizens have lost their lives, credible estimates show. The leading cause of death for American kids is gun violence.”

Police didn't instantly present particulars concerning the victims at Allen Premium Outlets, a sprawling out of doors purchasing heart, however witnesses reported seeing kids amongst them. Some stated additionally they noticed what gave the impression to be a police officer and a mall safety guard unconscious on the bottom.

An Allen Police Department officer was within the space on an unrelated name when he heard photographs Saturday afternoon, the division wrote on Facebook.

“The officer engaged the suspect and neutralized the threat. He then called for emergency personnel,” the put up stated.

Mr. Biden repeated his name for Congress to ship him a invoice banning assault weapons, a plea he makes following most mass shootings. He stated Congress additionally must go a ban on high-capacity magazines, enact common background checks, require protected storage of firearms and finish authorized immunity that forestalls lawsuits towards gun producers for crimes dedicated with their merchandise.

“I will sign it immediately. We need nothing less to keep our streets safe,” Mr. Biden stated.

Gun rights teams have objected to most new restrictions and vehemently opposed bans on military-style semiautomatic weapons such because the AR-15, which is usually utilized in mass shootings however can be the most well-liked type of rifle bought within the U.S.

It is uncertain a major gun-control invoice may go Congress with Republicans controlling the House and Democrats holding a slender majority within the Senate.

The president final 12 months signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act that expanded background checks to incorporate juvenile data, closed the “boyfriend loophole” to forestall ex-romantic companions accused of home abuse from shopping for firearms and incentivizes states to undertake “red flag” legal guidelines.

• This article is predicated partially on wire service reviews.

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