Less than a week after the Uvalde school shooting, President Joe Biden plans to visit the town to talk to the families who lost loved ones and “grieve with the community.” According to the White House, First Lady Jill Biden will also be in attendance with the president.
The shooting took place at Robb Elementary School on May 24, leaving 19 students and two adults dead. The gunman, Salvador Ramos, 18, was killed by police.
During Thursday’s briefing, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that the president would meet with community leaders, religious leaders, and victims’ families over the weekend.
“The president and first lady believe it is important to show their support for the community during this devastating time and to be there for the families of the victims,” said Jean-Pierre.
President Biden spoke out after the attack in Uvalde, claiming that while gun restrictions cannot prevent every tragedy, they have significant influence. As evidence, he pointed to mass shootings tripling after the end of the assault weapon ban in 1994. Known as the Federal Assault Weapons Ban, it prohibited the manufacture for civilian use of certain semi-automatic firearms that were categorized as “assault” weapons and ammunition magazines classified as large capacity.
“We know common sense gun laws can’t and won’t prevent every tragedy. But we know they work and have a positive impact. When we passed the assault weapons ban — mass shootings went down. When the law expired — mass shootings tripled,” Biden tweeted.
We know common sense gun laws can’t and won’t prevent every tragedy. But we know they work and have a positive impact.
When we passed the assault weapons ban — mass shootings went down.
When the law expired — mass shootings tripled.
— President Biden (@POTUS) May 25, 2022
The president’s trip also comes as pressure mounts on Washington to take meaningful action in the wake of the latest wave of mass shootings, which Biden has described as “carnage” that he is “sick and tired” of occurring.
The Uvalde school shooting occurred less than two weeks after an 18-year-old in Buffalo, New York, opened fire in a grocery store, killing 13 people.
“We cannot become numb to this. We will not accept this,” said Jean-Pierre. “A grocery store, a church, an elementary school, and this is just in the last few days. It’s time for Congress to act.”