President Donald Trump on Sunday saida mass shooting that took place a day earlier in Texas“really hasn’t changed anything” about how lawmakers are approaching guns control legislation.
“We are in the process of dealing with Democrats and Republicans, and there is a great package of things that I am going to put before them by a lot of different people. been talking to a lot of senators, a lot of House members, Republicans, Democrats – this hasn’t really changed anything, we’re doing a package and we’re going to see how it comes about, “Trump said outside of Marine One. “That’s irrespective of what happened yesterday in Texas.”
“Over the last five, six, or seven years, no matter how strong you need the background checks, it wouldn’t have stopped any of it, “he claimed.
Authorities on Sunday were still piecing together information about Saturday’s attack around Odessa, Texas, where a gunman openedfire at random. following a traffic stop, killing at least seven people and injuring over a dozen others. Police have not publicly confirmed the suspect’s identity or the weapons he used.
The attack was the second major mass shooting in Texas in recent weeks after a gunman opened fire on an El Paso in early August. shopping area, killing 22 people. The suspected shooter appeared to have posted an anti-immigrant screed online prior to the attack.
Trump administration officials, Republicans and Democrats have been pressing for the latest shooting on Sunday’s political talk show. Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan told ABC’s “This Week” that such attacks should “absolutely” be considered a “homeland security threat.”
“They are a homeland security threat,” McAleenan said. “In our counterterrorism strategy and approach, domestic terrorism has taken a front line for us.”
McAleenan pointed to the formation of an office earlier this year focused on “targeted violence and terrorism prevention.” , with an explicit focus and balance on domestic terrorism, includingracially motivated violent extremism, which we’ve seen far too much in recent weeks and months. “
Meanwhile, former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke, a Democratic presidential contender, called the amount of mass shootings in the U.S. “f — ed up.”
“The rhetoric that we’ve used, the thoughts and prayers that you just referred to, has done nothing to stop the epidemic of gun violence. , “O’Rourke said on CNN’s” State of the Union. ” “To protect our kids, our families, our fellow Americans in public places. At a Walmart in El Paso, where 22 killed at Southerland Springs, in a church, one or two days all over this country. One hundred killed daily in the United States of America … No other country comes close. “
On CBS’s” Face the Nation, “O’Rourke called for universal background checks, red flag laws and buying back weapons like the AR – 15 from owners.
“We’ve got to follow the lead of those moms who demand action, students who are marching for our lives, who have announced ambitious plans to ensure that we can protect one another and that our kids don’t have to fear going to school or the future of this country, “he said.
On NBC’s” Meet the Press, “former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro, also a Democratic presidential candidate, said he would “maximize executive autho rity “to combat gun violence and push” as much pressure “as possible on swing state Republican senators in hopes of getting a compromise gun control bill.
Also on” Meet the Press , “Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., Said the problem involving gun violence is “there are too many people who have mental illnesses that we’re somehow not addressing and they have access to weapons and they shouldn’t.” )
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