Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris urged Americans to confront the “epidemic of gun violence” during a rally on Wednesday, following a tragic shooting at a Georgia high school that left four dead.
Speaking in New Hampshire, the vice president called for stricter gun safety laws and renewed her push for an assault weapons ban, a proposal often opposed by Republicans.
“This is another senseless tragedy, adding to a heartbreaking list of tragedies,” Harris said, referring to the shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, one of many mass shootings in the U.S. this year.
“It’s unimaginable that parents in this country send their kids to school each day, unsure if they’ll come home,” she added. “We must put an end to this epidemic of gun violence. It doesn’t have to be this way.”
In her speech, Harris also highlighted key points from her economic plan but stressed the urgency of addressing gun violence. She is in a close race with former President Donald Trump, who posted on social media expressing condolences for the victims, calling the shooter a “sick and deranged monster.”
As a former prosecutor and attorney general in California, Harris has long advocated for tighter gun control. She urged Congress to pass an assault weapons ban, similar to the one President Biden helped pass in 1994. That ban expired in 2004 and has not been renewed.
Harris also called for universal background checks and the adoption of red flag laws, designed to prevent individuals seen as a threat from acquiring firearms.
“We can support the Second Amendment while still enacting reasonable gun safety measures,” Harris said. “It’s not an either-or situation. We need to protect lives.”
