Biden Pushes For Notoriously Ineffective Assault Weapons Ban After Mass Shooting In North Carolina

On Thursday night, a 15-year-old allegedly killed five people and injured two others in a mass shooting in Raleigh, North Carolina. President Biden responded by using the tragedy as an opportunity to push gun control legislation, including a reinstatement of the notoriously ineffective 1994 Federal Assault Weapons ban.

As reported by NBC News, “The shooting unfolded in a neighborhood northeast of central Raleigh and prompted warnings for residents to stay inside. One of the fatally wounded was an off-duty police officer.”

“In a news conference Friday morning, Raleigh Police Chief Estella D. Patterson said the suspect had been taken into custody and was in critical condition,” the outlet added.

In response, Biden released a statement, saying, “Jill and I are grieving with the families in Raleigh, North Carolina, whose loved ones were killed and wounded in yet another mass shooting in America. We are thinking of yet another community shaken and shattered as they mourn the loss of friends and neighbors, including an off-duty police officer…”

“We must pass an assault weapons ban. The American people support this commonsense action to get weapons of war off our streets. House Democrats have already passed it. The Senate should do the same. Send it to my desk and I’ll sign it,” Biden added. “May God bless our fellow Americans we lost and their families and may He grant the wounded the strength to recover in Raleigh, North Carolina.”

Notably, however, the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons ban had no effect on firearm homicide rates and a 2014 study found “murder rates were 19.3% higher when the Federal ban was in effect.” Additionally, school shootings slightly increased after the ban was enacted.