“‘I have opposed efforts to ban deadly weapons of war like the assault rifle he used to carry out this crime. The time has now come for me to take responsibility for this failure. ‘”
That’s Jared Golden, a Democrat who represents Maine’s second district — residence to Lewiston, the place a person went on a capturing rampage at a bar and a bowling alley, killing a minimum of 16 individuals and wounding many others.
Golden, who beforehand opposed efforts to ban assault weapons, mentioned in a Thursday press convention there was a “false confidence” that his group wouldn’t be endangered by mass shootings. “My community was above this and that we could be in full control, among many other misjudgments,” he mentioned.
Maine is certainly one of about 20 states that enable permitless carry — having a hid weapon in public with out a allow, based on the Associated Press. Gun-rights advocates have for years held up Maine for instance of a spot with unrestrictive gun legal guidelines and little violent crime.
He added: “I have opposed efforts to ban deadly weapons of war like the assault rifle he [suspected shooter Robert Card] used to carry out this crime.”
Read extra: Maine capturing victims embrace ‘hero’ bar supervisor, youth bowling coach
Golden represents a district that voted for Donald Trump by a 52%-45% margin within the 2020 presidential election.
“For the good of my community, I will work with any colleague to get this done in the time that I have left in Congress,” Golden mentioned.
Maine has a “yellow flag” legislation, which a gun-rights group helped write. Law enforcement officers can detain somebody they believe is mentally unwell and poses a menace to themselves or others. The legislation differs from crimson flag legal guidelines in that it requires police first to get a medical practitioner to guage the individual and discover the individual to be a menace earlier than police can petition a choose to order the individual’s firearms to be seized.
Authorities say the assault was carried out by a person who was dedicated to a mental-health facility for 2 weeks this previous summer time and had reported “hearing voices and threats to shoot up” a army base.
It was not clear whether or not anybody had used the yellow flag legislation within the suspect’s case, however gun-control advocates on Thursday blamed the killings on what one known as Maine’s “weak gun laws.”
At Thursday’s press convention, Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican, mentioned that it is very important “ban very-high-capacity magazines,” and added that she would assist laws on bump shares.
“The fact, the suspect was hospitalized for two weeks for mental illness should have triggered the yellow flag law. He should have been separated from his weapons,” Collins mentioned Thursday. “I’m sure that after the fact, that it’s going to be looked at very closely.”
Vice President Kamala Harris mentioned gun violence is the main reason for loss of life for kids within the U.S. and known as on Congress to go stronger legal guidelines, together with making background checks common, passing a crimson flag legislation and banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
“It is a false choice to suggest we must choose between either upholding the Second Amendment or passing reasonable gun safety laws to save lives,” Harris mentioned in a press release.
However, House Speaker Mike Johnson, throughout an interview with Sean Hannity on Thursday evening, mentioned that that is “not the time to be talking about legislation.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Source web site: www.marketwatch.com
