White House calls for ‘assault weapons ban’ in wake of UVA shooting
Haisten Willis
Video Embed
The White House has released a statement sharing condolences in response to a shooting at the University of Virginia that left three people dead.
In the statement, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called the incident “yet another deadly shooting” and called for an assault weapons ban in response.
UVA SHOOTING SUSPECT CHRISTOPHER DARNELL JONES JR. IN CUSTODY AFTER THREE FOOTBALL PLAYERS KILLED
“The President and First Lady are mourning with the University of Virginia community after yet another deadly shooting in America has taken the lives of three young people,” the statement reads. “Our deepest condolences are with the countless families, friends, and neighbors grieving for those killed as well as those injured in this senseless shooting.”
The suspected shooter, accused of killing three people and injuring two others on Sunday, is in custody, university police officials said during a Monday press conference.
Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., a student at the university, was apprehended while officials were giving an update, and he has been charged with three counts of second-degree murder, among other handgun charges, University of Virginia Police Department Chief Timothy Longo Sr. said. Jones was on the run for 12 hours before he was apprehended.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Jean-Pierre pointed to the modest gun control bill President Joe Biden signed into law last year before calling for more action.
“Too many families across America are bearing the awful burden of gun violence,” she said. “Earlier this year, President Biden signed the most significant gun safety law in nearly three decades, in addition to taking other historic actions. But we must do more. We need to enact an assault weapons ban to get weapons of war off America’s streets. House Democrats acted, and the Senate should follow.”