Biden renews call for gun legislation after deadly shooting at Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade

President Biden renewed his calls for Congress to pass gun violence prevention legislation after Wednesday’s deadly shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade.

The shooter in Kansas City, Mo., opened fire during the victory parade, killing at least one person and injuring more than 20 more, including at least eight children.

“The Super Bowl is the most unifying event in America. Nothing brings more of us together,” Biden said in a statement Wednesday. “And the celebration of a Super Bowl win is a moment that brings a joy that can’t be matched to the winning team and their supporters. For this joy to be turned to tragedy today in Kansas City cuts deep in the American soul.”

“Today’s events should move us, shock us, shame us into acting. What are we waiting for? What else do we need to see? How many more families need to be torn apart?” he added.

The president pushed Congress to act to pass an assault weapons ban and renewed calls for limits on high-capacity magazines, stronger background checks and laws that keep guns out of the hands of people who shouldn’t have them.

He also noted that Wednesday marked six years since the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Fla., which is the deadliest shooting at a high school in U.S. history, and Tuesday marked one year since the Michigan State University campus shooting. Additionally, three police officers were shot in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.

“We know what we have to do, we just need the courage to do it,” Biden said. “The epidemic of gun violence is ripping apart families and communities every day. Some make the news. Much of it doesn’t. But all of it is unacceptable. We have to decide who we are as a country.”

The president has consistently called for Congress to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, require safe storage of guns, end gun manufacturers’ immunity from liability and enact universal background checks.

Congress passed a bipartisan gun safety bill that Biden signed into law in June 2022. Additionally, the White House has pushed its limits in terms of executive powers to curb gun violence and, in September, created the first White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention to find additional actions Biden can take to curb gun violence.

Biden’s reelection campaign received early endorsements from four major gun violence prevention groups: Everytown for Gun Safety, Community Justice Action Fund, Giffords and Brady.

While the gun violence prevention movement has been supportive of Biden’s efforts on gun control, it considers them to be first steps. He acknowledged in June that the bipartisan gun safety bill isn’t “enough.”