Texas mall shooting prompts Biden to renew call for gun control

On Sunday, U.S. President Joe Biden urged Congress to pass gun control measures following a mass shooting at a Texas mall that resulted in nine fatalities, including the shooter. The incident, which occurred at the Allen Premium Outlets in a Dallas suburb on Saturday, reignited calls for stricter gun laws.

Biden reiterated his demand for a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, as well as universal background checks and the repeal of immunity for gun manufacturers. Despite widespread public support for background checks, the likelihood of passing such legislation in the divided Congress remains low.

The shooter, who was dressed in tactical gear and wielded an AR-15 style assault weapon, killed eight individuals, including children, and injured at least seven others before being shot by police.

According to the Gun Violence Archive, the U.S. has seen at least 199 mass shootings in 2023—the highest number recorded at this point in the year since at least 2016. A mass shooting is defined as an incident where four or more people are injured or killed, excluding the shooter.

As of Sunday morning, law enforcement had not disclosed the shooter’s identity or motive, nor had they released the names of the victims. Sergeant Jonathan Maness of the Allen Police Department commented, “We don’t have anything that we’re ready to release at this time. It’s a lot of moving parts here.”

Among the injured, three individuals were reported to be in critical condition, while four others were stable. Graphic footage shared on social media depicted several victims at the scene, including what appeared to be a young child. The authenticity of the video, which showed the aftermath of the shooting, has been verified by Reuters.

Debate over gun control has intensified once again following this tragedy, which occurred just over a week after another shooting in Cleveland, Texas. The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which protects the right to bear arms, remains a contentious issue, especially among Republicans supported by gun rights organizations.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott described the shooting as “devastating” during an interview on Fox News, emphasizing that addressing mental health issues is key to reducing gun violence. “There has been a dramatic increase in the amount of anger and violence that’s taking place in America,” he stated. “We are working to address that anger and violence by going to its root cause, which is addressing the mental health problems behind it.”

In contrast, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Democratic lawmakers highlighted the urgent need for stronger gun safety laws to combat rising gun violence.

Witnesses reported that, during the incident, hundreds of shoppers were seen evacuating the mall with their hands raised as police secured the area. One eyewitness recounted seeing the shooter “walking down the sidewalk just … shooting his gun outside.”