President Biden is calling for ‘more action’ after a gunman in Allen, Texas, killed eight people, including children, and injured seven others at a mall on Saturday.
Biden released a statement Sunday saying that ‘tweeted thoughts and prayers are not enough’ from lawmakers, and urged Congress to send a bill to his desk that bans assault weapons and magazines.
‘Too many families have empty chairs at their dinner tables,’ the president’s statement said. ‘Republican Members of Congress cannot continue to meet this epidemic with a shrug.’
Biden touted that his administration has ‘made some progress’ in stemming the tide of gun violence, noting that some states have banned assault weapons and are expanding red flag laws.
Biden said ‘it’s not enough,’ going on to call for universal background checks, requiring safe storage of firearms, and ending immunity for gun manufacturers.
‘I will sign it immediately,’ he said of such a bill. ‘We need nothing less to keep our streets safe.’
Six victims were declared dead at the Allen Premium Outlets mall, while two more died of their injuries during or after being rushed to a hospital. Seven people remain injured from the attack and three were still in critical condition as of Sunday morning.
A police officer at the mall heard the gunshots and rushed toward the sound. The officer then engaged the shooter and killed him.
‘Jill and I are praying for their families and for others critically injured, and we are grateful to the first responders who acted quickly and courageously to save lives,’ Biden said.
The shooting suspect is believed to be in his 30s and lived at home with his parents, according to local reports. On Sunday morning, the FBI and local police reportedly began searching the suspect’s home.
Authorities did not immediately release details about the suspect’s identity or a possible motive.
Fox News’ Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.