The presidential candidates and their running mates all expressed regret, but have very different approaches to how they would regulate guns in America.
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The shooting at Apalachee High School in northern Georgia underscored the chasm between the two campaigns’ positions on guns.
The school shooting in Georgia this week underscored the chasm between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald J. Trump, as well as between their respective running mates, on guns.
Authorities say a 14-year-old student used an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle to kill two teachers and two students on Wednesday at Apalachee High School in northern Georgia.
Here’s what each candidate said after the shooting, and where each stands on guns.
Donald J. Trump, the Republican nominee
What he said: “Our hearts are with the victims and loved ones of those affected by the tragic event in Winder, GA,” Mr. Trump said Wednesday on social media. “These cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster.”
Where he stands on guns: Mr. Trump has vowed to rescind gun regulations enacted by the Biden administration, describing them as attacks on gun owners and manufacturers, and he has argued that mass shootings stem from mental health challenges. He has said his administration “did nothing” to restrict guns, though his administration did enact a ban on bump stocks, which make semiautomatic rifles more powerful, after the 2017 Las Vegas shooting. The Supreme Court struck down the ban this year.
Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee
What she said: “We have to end this epidemic of gun violence in our country once and for all,” Ms. Harris said at an event in New Hampshire. “You know, it doesn’t have to be this way.”
Where she stands on guns: The vice president has pushed for a federal assault weapons ban. The last one expired in 2004, a decade after it was authorized by President Bill Clinton. The measure blocked the sale of 19 specific weapons that have the features of guns used by the military, including semiautomatic rifles and certain types of shotguns and handguns. Democratic efforts to resurrect it have been met with fierce Republican resistance. Ms. Harris also supports state-level red-flag laws, which allow courts to seize weapons from people they deem threats.
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Source: nytimes.com
