Texas Church Shooting: Democrats Demand Gun Control

Democratic lawmakers are renewing their calls for gun control, following the largest mass shooting in Texas history, as Republicans, including President Donald Trump and local lawmakers, insisted firearms are not the problem.

The renewed guns debate came after 26 people were killed and 19 more were injured during a shooting at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs. Victims ranged in age from 5 to 72, officials said.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., led the charge demanding stricter gun control laws with a scathing and lengthy statement.

"As my colleagues go to sleep tonight, they need to think about whether the political support of the gun industry is worth the blood that flows endlessly onto the floors of American churches, elementary schools, movie theaters, and city streets," Murphy said.

"The terrifying fact is that no one is safe so long as Congress chooses to do absolutely nothing in the face of this epidemic. The time is now for Congress to shed its cowardly cover and do something," he added.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said, "As we mourn the lives that were cruelly cut short today, we must resolve to denounce all forms of hatred and violence and to drive them from our communities and our nation."

Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., put it even more bluntly. "Screw the @NRA & can you help Dems take back the House," he tweeted.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., piled on.

“How many more people must die at churches or concerts or schools before we stop letting the @NRA control this country's gun policies?” she tweeted.

Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., posted, "Senseless gun violence has torn apart another community — this time in a house of worship."

"When do we say enough is enough?" she added.

Several Republicans, however, including Trump, said guns weren't to blame, with some suggesting that more guns may have helped bring the tragedy to a quicker end.

"I don’t want to create impediments for law abiding citizens having guns," Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said Monday on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." "The people who slowed this guy down were people who had guns."

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDiddy is punished following NBC News report on his VIP life in prison and contraband cellphone use

FOR SUBSCRIBERS‘Too young to vote, old enough to be tear gassed’: French protesters’ anger swells

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDOJ gets aggressive in suing states that challenge Trump’s immigration policies

FOR SUBSCRIBERSJustice Department seeks criminal charge for former Trump aide Cassidy Hutchinson

FOR SUBSCRIBERS‘I just want to hold him’: USS Lincoln sailor to meet his 10-month-old son as ship docks

FOR SUBSCRIBERSSenate candidates run on raising Social Security taxes for higher incomes to prevent benefit cuts

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRussian operation that used ChatGPT tricked schools, a politician and media, OpenAI says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump administration’s deal with Nevada fuels data center fight in governor’s race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSLatino voters reject Trump’s immigration policies — and detail the personal impact

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAs Democrats eye big midterm gains, the Wisconsin governor’s race remains a nail-biter

FOR SUBSCRIBERSU.S. military prepares new Iran war options ahead of midterm elections

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCIA probe into intel leak led to discovery of gold bars at agent’s home, sources say

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTexas Latino leaders clash with national Democrats in a meeting over gubernatorial race

FOR SUBSCRIBERS‘Still in this very long day that started on Oct. 7th’

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAnimal rescues in Cuba struggle to care for abandoned pets amid deepening economic crisis

Slide 1 of 1

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDiddy is punished following NBC News report on his VIP life in prison and contraband cellphone use

FOR SUBSCRIBERS‘Too young to vote, old enough to be tear gassed’: French protesters’ anger swells

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDOJ gets aggressive in suing states that challenge Trump’s immigration policies

FOR SUBSCRIBERSJustice Department seeks criminal charge for former Trump aide Cassidy Hutchinson

FOR SUBSCRIBERS‘I just want to hold him’: USS Lincoln sailor to meet his 10-month-old son as ship docks

FOR SUBSCRIBERSSenate candidates run on raising Social Security taxes for higher incomes to prevent benefit cuts

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRussian operation that used ChatGPT tricked schools, a politician and media, OpenAI says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump administration’s deal with Nevada fuels data center fight in governor’s race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSLatino voters reject Trump’s immigration policies — and detail the personal impact

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAs Democrats eye big midterm gains, the Wisconsin governor’s race remains a nail-biter

FOR SUBSCRIBERSU.S. military prepares new Iran war options ahead of midterm elections

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCIA probe into intel leak led to discovery of gold bars at agent’s home, sources say

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTexas Latino leaders clash with national Democrats in a meeting over gubernatorial race

FOR SUBSCRIBERS‘Still in this very long day that started on Oct. 7th’

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAnimal rescues in Cuba struggle to care for abandoned pets amid deepening economic crisis

Slide 1 of 1

Paxton's remarks referred to information from Freeman Martin, a regional director with the Texas Department of Public Safety, who said on Sunday that an armed local resident had confronted the gunman. The resident "grabbed his rifle and engaged that suspect," Martin said.

Trump, meanwhile, called the suspect in the shooting a "very deranged individual," adding that "we have a lot of mental health problems in our country, as do other countries."

At a press briefing in Japan, Trump added: "This isn’t a guns situation. Fortunately somebody else had a gun that was shooting in the opposite direction."