On Wednesday (Feb 14), US President Joe Biden urged all Americans to support his call to Congress to prohibit assault weapons, noting that the tragic gunfight at a Super Bowl victory celebration in Kansas City “cuts deep”.
“Today’s events should move us, shock us, shame us into acting,” said Biden, in a White House statement.
“It is time to act. That’s where I stand. And I ask the country to stand with me. To make your voice heard in Congress so we finally act to ban assault weapons, to limit high-capacity magazines, strengthen background checks, keep guns out of the hands of those who have no business owning them or handling them,” said Biden, in a statement released by the White House.
Biden stated that the Super Bowl victory must have been a wonderful occasion.
He stated, “To see this excitement turned to sadness in Kansas City today hurts deep into the American soul. Today’s events should move, shock, and shame us into action. What exactly are we waiting for? What else should we see? How many more families have to be torn apart?”
Kamala Harris urges Congress to pass reasonable gun safety laws
Vice President Kamala Harris, meanwhile, urged members of Congress to implement “reasonable gun safety laws” following the shooting on Wednesday (Feb 14) near the end of a parade for the Kansas City Chiefs, the Super Bowl champions.
“The reality of it is a lot of this can be prevented if members of legislatures, including the United States Congress, just have the courage to act with reasonable gun safety law,” said Harris, while speaking to the reporters at Joint Base Andrews before stepping aboard Air Force 2 en route to the Munich Security Conference. Harris said that she has been praying for those affected by the shootout.
The incident occurred west of Union Station, near the garage, as Kansas City Chiefs supporters were exiting, according to Kansas City police. In the incident, one individual, a DJ, was killed and 21 others were injured.
Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves announced in a press conference that they have detained three persons and are conducting an investigation into the fatal shooting, which she described as a “tragedy”.
Biden established the first White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention in September 2023, and the vice president was tasked with overseeing it.