'Too soon?': California hosts a gun show, just days after mass shooting nearby claimed 11 lives

As the United States deals with the rise in gun violence amid a wave of shocking mass shootings, the country's top court has ruled that Americans have the right to carry firearms in public. This landmark judgement by the Supreme Court will now prevent states from imposing restrictions, and gun control rules on the general public.&nbsp;The 6-3 decision overturns a New York rule that mandated that applicants for gun permits demonstrate that they had a valid need for self-defence.&nbsp;President Joe Biden in a statement said that he was "deeply disappointed" by the judgement. He said, "this ruling contradicts both common sense and the constitution, and should deeply trouble us all."

Judge Clarence Thomas, who wrote the majority opinion, said that "New York's proper-cause requirement violates the Fourteenth Amendment by preventing law-abiding citizens with ordinary self-defence needs from exercising their Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms in public for self-defence."

Watch |&nbsp;US gun violence worse under Biden than Trump

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"The Second and Fourteenth Amendments protect an individual's right to carry a handgun for self-defence outside the home," added Judge Thomas.

Kathy Hochul, New York's governor called it a "dark day" and said that it is shocking that the supreme court judgement has "taken away our rights to have reasonable restrictions".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/americas-gun-culture-kills-hundreds-every-day-is-2nd-amendment-worth-the-lives-lost-heres-the-data-482632">America's gun culture kills hundreds every day. Is 2nd amendment worth the lives lost? Here's the data</a>

Referring to the constitutional amendment that all the gun advocates quote Hochul remarked "we can have restrictions on speech -- you can't yell fire in a crowded theater but somehow there's no restrictions allowed on the Second Amendment."

"I'm sorry this dark day has come," she added.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/things-republicans-believe-are-responsible-for-mass-shootings-heres-a-hint-its-not-guns-484254">Things Republicans believe are responsible for mass shootings. Here's a hint, it's not guns</a>

The National Rifle Association (NRA), United States' most powerful gun lobby,&nbsp;which calls itself "America's longest-standing civil rights organisation"&nbsp;on the other hand lauded the judgement. Taking to Twitter the group tweeted "NRA wins SCOTUS case!"&nbsp;

"Supreme Court Rules New York’s Carry Restrictions are UNCONSTITUTIONAL"

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🎉BREAKING NEWS: <a href="https://twitter.com/NRA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NRA</a> WINS SCOTUS CASE! 
 
Supreme Court Rules New York’s Carry Restrictions are UNCONSTITUTIONAL
— NRA (@NRA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NRA/status/1539979901922598912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2022</a></blockquote>
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As the United States deals with the rise in gun violence amid a wave of shocking mass shootings, the country's top court has ruled that Americans have the right to carry firearms in public.

As the United States deals with the rise in gun violence amid a wave of shocking mass shootings, the country's top court has ruled that Americans have the right to carry firearms in public. This landmark judgement by the Supreme Court will now prevent states from imposing restrictions, and gun control rules on the general public. The 6-3 decision overturns a New York rule that mandated that applicants for gun permits demonstrate that they had a valid need for self-defence. President Joe Biden in a statement said that he was "deeply disappointed" by the judgement. He said, "this ruling contradicts both common sense and the constitution, and should deeply trouble us all." Judge Clarence Thomas, who wrote the majority opinion, said that "New York's proper-cause requirement violates the Fourteenth Amendment by preventing law-abiding citizens with ordinary self-defence needs from exercising their Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms in public for self-defence." Watch | US gun violence worse under Biden than Trump "The Second and Fourteenth Amendments protect an individual's right to carry a handgun for self-defence outside the home," added Judge Thomas. Kathy Hochul, New York's governor called it a "dark day" and said that it is shocking that the supreme court judgement has "taken away our rights to have reasonable restrictions". Also read | America's gun culture kills hundreds every day. Is 2nd amendment worth the lives lost? Here's the data Referring to the constitutional amendment that all the gun advocates quote Hochul remarked "we can have restrictions on speech -- you can't yell fire in a crowded theater but somehow there's no restrictions allowed on the Second Amendment." "I'm sorry this dark day has come," she added. Also read | Things Republicans believe are responsible for mass shootings. Here's a hint, it's not guns The National Rifle Association (NRA), United States' most powerful gun lobby, which calls itself "America's longest-standing civil rights organisation" on the other hand lauded the judgement. Taking to Twitter the group tweeted "NRA wins SCOTUS case!" "Supreme Court Rules New York’s Carry Restrictions are UNCONSTITUTIONAL" 🎉BREAKING NEWS: @NRA WINS SCOTUS CASE! Supreme Court Rules New York’s Carry Restrictions are UNCONSTITUTIONAL — NRA (@NRA) June 23, 2022 × (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION LIVE HERE: You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US Supreme Court says carrying guns in public is 'constitutional', Biden says ruling 'deeply disappointing'

In the wake of a series of mass shootings, the New York State Legislature has passed a bill raising the age to buy or own semi-automatic guns in a major change to state firearm laws.

Under the proposed legislation, anyone under the age of 21 has been barred from purchasing/owning semi-automatic rifles in New York state.

The bill passed on Thursday also requires a prospective buyer to get a license, which is currently only required in New York State for handguns.

The series of measures were taken days after an 18-year-old used one of the guns to kill 10 people at a supermarket in Buffalo.

Apart from that, the proposed law seeks to restrict civilians from purchasing bullet-resistant armour, which was worn by the killer in Buffalo, and require new guns to be equipped with microstamping technology that can help law enforcement investigators trace bullets to particular firearms.

The age limit bill passed the Senate along party lines, 43-20, and in the Assembly 102-47, and will now head to Governor Kathy Hochul for her signature. According to reports, she is poised to sign off the new bill.

However, many Republicans opposed the new gun limitations, arguing they would inconvenience law-abiding firearms owners and could be easily circumvented by people determined to get weapons, reports AP news agency.

Senator Gustavo Rivera, a Bronx Democrat, said he had no problem putting up obstacles.

“It is meant to be a hassle to those folks who might want to get their hands quickly on something with which they could mass murder people," he said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/enough-biden-urges-political-action-to-prevent-gun-violence-deaths-484572">'Enough!', Biden urges political action to prevent gun violence deaths</a>

In an interview with FoxNews on Wednesday, Hochul said, “We're going to have a package that people are going to be proud of, and it's going to close some loopholes, but also say that 18 year olds who cannot buy a beer at the local bar should not be able to buy an assault weapon.”

“We're going to change that immediately.”

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wisconsin-shooter-wounds-multiple-people-during-a-funeral-484569">Wisconsin: Shooter wounds multiple people during a funeral</a>

With this, New York would join a handful of states— including Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Vermont and Washington - that require buyers to be at least 21 instead of 18 to purchase some types of long guns.

Similar legislation has also been proposed in Utah, while California's attempt to raise the legal buying age for semi-automatic weapons has also been challenged.

(With inputs from agencies)

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In the wake of a series of mass shootings, the New York State Legislature has passed a bill raising the age to buy or own semi-automatic guns in a major change to state firearm laws.

In the wake of a series of mass shootings, the New York State Legislature has passed a bill raising the age to buy or own semi-automatic guns in a major change to state firearm laws. Under the proposed legislation, anyone under the age of 21 has been barred from purchasing/owning semi-automatic rifles in New York state. The bill passed on Thursday also requires a prospective buyer to get a license, which is currently only required in New York State for handguns. The series of measures were taken days after an 18-year-old used one of the guns to kill 10 people at a supermarket in Buffalo. Apart from that, the proposed law seeks to restrict civilians from purchasing bullet-resistant armour, which was worn by the killer in Buffalo, and require new guns to be equipped with microstamping technology that can help law enforcement investigators trace bullets to particular firearms. The age limit bill passed the Senate along party lines, 43-20, and in the Assembly 102-47, and will now head to Governor Kathy Hochul for her signature. According to reports, she is poised to sign off the new bill. However, many Republicans opposed the new gun limitations, arguing they would inconvenience law-abiding firearms owners and could be easily circumvented by people determined to get weapons, reports AP news agency. Senator Gustavo Rivera, a Bronx Democrat, said he had no problem putting up obstacles. “It is meant to be a hassle to those folks who might want to get their hands quickly on something with which they could mass murder people," he said. Also read | 'Enough!', Biden urges political action to prevent gun violence deaths In an interview with FoxNews on Wednesday, Hochul said, “We're going to have a package that people are going to be proud of, and it's going to close some loopholes, but also say that 18 year olds who cannot buy a beer at the local bar should not be able to buy an assault weapon.” “We're going to change that immediately.” Also Read | Wisconsin: Shooter wounds multiple people during a funeral With this, New York would join a handful of states— including Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Vermont and Washington - that require buyers to be at least 21 instead of 18 to purchase some types of long guns. Similar legislation has also been proposed in Utah, while California's attempt to raise the legal buying age for semi-automatic weapons has also been challenged. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here:

New York passes bill barring anyone under 21 to buy or own semi-automatic guns

New York police officers are in a stand-off after a lone man believed to be holding a gun was spotted outside the United Nations headquarters in New York on Thursday.The police have cordoned off the premises and surrounded the man.

According to an official speaking on condition of anonymity, the man threatened to kill himself in front of one of the building's entrances, reports AFP

“The UN headquarters is closed, there is police activity,” a UN spokesman told AFP.

Images and videos went viral on social media which showed armed police surrounding the man standing on a sidewalk.

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Stand-off --Man with gun pacing in front of the United Nations. Police saying "put down the guy. There are better ways to get your message out." White male. Grey hair. Red sweater tan jacket. <a href="https://t.co/qOB5NACBne">pic.twitter.com/qOB5NACBne</a>
— Greg Kelly-Ripped in 2022. (@gregkellyusa) <a href="https://twitter.com/gregkellyusa/status/1466437329506217992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

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Man appears to be holding a long gun pointed at his chin. NYPD appears to be trying to defuse situation. <a href="https://t.co/6vibIy1v0D">pic.twitter.com/6vibIy1v0D</a>
— Sherwin Bryce-Pease (@sherwiebp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sherwiebp/status/1466449956525547523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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“Put down the gun. There are better ways to get your message out,” a police officer was heard was saying to the unidentified man.

So far, the identity and the motive behind such an extreme move has not been ascertained.

According to reports, the man is a middle-aged white male with grey hair wearing a red sweater and tan jacket.

The avenue along the UN headquarters was closed to traffic, but meetings inside were not immediately affected.

“Due to a police investigation, avoid the area of 42 Street and 1st Avenue. Expect emergency vehicles in the surrounding area,” the New York police department said on Twitter.

(With inputs from agencies)

New York police officers are in a stand-off after a lone man believed to be holding a gun was spotted outside the United Nations headquarters in New York on Thursday.

New York police officers are in a stand-off after a lone man believed to be holding a gun was spotted outside the United Nations headquarters in New York on Thursday.The police have cordoned off the premises and surrounded the man. According to an official speaking on condition of anonymity, the man threatened to kill himself in front of one of the building's entrances, reports AFP “The UN headquarters is closed, there is police activity,” a UN spokesman told AFP. Images and videos went viral on social media which showed armed police surrounding the man standing on a sidewalk. Stand-off --Man with gun pacing in front of the United Nations. Police saying "put down the guy. There are better ways to get your message out." White male. Grey hair. Red sweater tan jacket. pic.twitter.com/qOB5NACBne — Greg Kelly-Ripped in 2022. (@gregkellyusa) December 2, 2021 × Man appears to be holding a long gun pointed at his chin. NYPD appears to be trying to defuse situation. pic.twitter.com/6vibIy1v0D — Sherwin Bryce-Pease (@sherwiebp) December 2, 2021 × “Put down the gun. There are better ways to get your message out,” a police officer was heard was saying to the unidentified man. So far, the identity and the motive behind such an extreme move has not been ascertained. According to reports, the man is a middle-aged white male with grey hair wearing a red sweater and tan jacket. The avenue along the UN headquarters was closed to traffic, but meetings inside were not immediately affected. “Due to a police investigation, avoid the area of 42 Street and 1st Avenue. Expect emergency vehicles in the surrounding area,” the New York police department said on Twitter. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch | New York Police in standoff with gun-wielding man outside UN headquarters

A gunman dressed in body armour <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/29-killed-in-two-us-mass-shootings-within-hours-240608">opened fire in a downtown district of Dayton, Ohio</a>, early on Sunday, killing nine people and wounding 27 others, authorities said, in the second deadly mass shooting in the United States in less than a day.

Police officers who were on routine patrol nearby arrived on the scene in less than a minute and shot the attacker dead, likely preventing a much higher casualty toll, police and the city's mayor said.

"In less than one minute, Dayton first responders neutralized the shooter. I'm just still completely amazed at the heroic nature of our police department," Mayor Nan Whaley said at a news conference.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/deadliest-recent-mass-shootings-in-the-united-states-240539">In pics: Deadliest recent mass shootings in the United States</a>

Assistant Police Chief Matt Carper told reporters the shooting began at 1 am local time in Dayton's Oregon District, a downtown historic neighbourhood popular for its nightclubs, restaurants, art galleries and shops.

The motive behind the shooting was not immediately clear, and investigators believe the individual had acted alone, Carper said. The authorities said they had identified the shooter but were not yet disclosing his name.

Ten people were killed, including the assailant. Twenty-seven others were injured, with four people in serious condition and one person in critical, medical authorities said.

Whaley said the suspect was wearing body armour and was armed with a rifle firing .223-caliber rounds from high-capacity ammunition magazines.

Had police officers not confronted the suspect as quickly as they did, "hundreds of people in the Oregon District could be dead today," the mayor said.

FBI agents were assisting in the investigation.

The shooting in Dayton, a riverfront city of about 140,000 people in southwestern Ohio, came just 13 hours after a mass shooting at a Walmart store in El Paso, Texas, where 20 people were killed and 26 others wounded. The 21-year-old suspect in that shooting was arrested.

The Ohio shooting was the third major outbreak of US gun violence, coming seven days after a teenager killed three people with an assault rifle at a food festival in Northern California before taking his own life.

Pope Francis condemned the attacks on "defenceless people" in the US shootings in his Sunday message and blessing from St. Peter's Square.

The Dayton Daily News said the latest shooting occurred at or near a tavern called Ned Peppers Bar.

The newspaper cited a Facebook post from James Wilson, who said he was a customer sitting on a patio just outside the bar when the shooting occurred in front of the establishment.

"He (a gunman) tried to get into the bar but did not make it through the door," Wilson wrote. "Someone took the gun from him and he got shot and is dead."

One witness, Anthony Reynolds, said he heard gunfire that sounded like it was coming from a high-powered weapon.

"Just boom boom boom boom boom boom rapid," he said. "You could tell there's a big gun. You're not going to get those from no handgun. You're not."

Deb Decker, a spokeswoman for emergency services in Montgomery County, Ohio, told CNN the assailant had been making his way to Ned Peppers from another bar when someone grabbed the barrel of his rifle, and he drew a handgun but was then shot as police arrived.

The mayor said the carnage in Dayton marked the 250th mass shooting in the United States so far this year, a figure that could not immediately be verified.

A gunman dressed in body armour opened fire in a downtown district of Dayton, Ohio, early on Sunday, killing nine people and wounding 27 others, authorities said, in the second deadly mass shooting in the United States in less than a day.

A gunman dressed in body armour opened fire in a downtown district of Dayton, Ohio, early on Sunday, killing nine people and wounding 27 others, authorities said, in the second deadly mass shooting in the United States in less than a day. Police officers who were on routine patrol nearby arrived on the scene in less than a minute and shot the attacker dead, likely preventing a much higher casualty toll, police and the city's mayor said. "In less than one minute, Dayton first responders neutralized the shooter. I'm just still completely amazed at the heroic nature of our police department," Mayor Nan Whaley said at a news conference. In pics: Deadliest recent mass shootings in the United States Assistant Police Chief Matt Carper told reporters the shooting began at 1 am local time in Dayton's Oregon District, a downtown historic neighbourhood popular for its nightclubs, restaurants, art galleries and shops. The motive behind the shooting was not immediately clear, and investigators believe the individual had acted alone, Carper said. The authorities said they had identified the shooter but were not yet disclosing his name. Ten people were killed, including the assailant. Twenty-seven others were injured, with four people in serious condition and one person in critical, medical authorities said. Whaley said the suspect was wearing body armour and was armed with a rifle firing .223-caliber rounds from high-capacity ammunition magazines. Had police officers not confronted the suspect as quickly as they did, "hundreds of people in the Oregon District could be dead today," the mayor said. FBI agents were assisting in the investigation. The shooting in Dayton, a riverfront city of about 140,000 people in southwestern Ohio, came just 13 hours after a mass shooting at a Walmart store in El Paso, Texas, where 20 people were killed and 26 others wounded. The 21-year-old suspect in that shooting was arrested. The Ohio shooting was the third major outbreak of US gun violence, coming seven days after a teenager killed three people with an assault rifle at a food festival in Northern California before taking his own life. Pope Francis condemned the attacks on "defenceless people" in the US shootings in his Sunday message and blessing from St. Peter's Square. The Dayton Daily News said the latest shooting occurred at or near a tavern called Ned Peppers Bar. The newspaper cited a Facebook post from James Wilson, who said he was a customer sitting on a patio just outside the bar when the shooting occurred in front of the establishment. "He (a gunman) tried to get into the bar but did not make it through the door," Wilson wrote. "Someone took the gun from him and he got shot and is dead." One witness, Anthony Reynolds, said he heard gunfire that sounded like it was coming from a high-powered weapon. "Just boom boom boom boom boom boom rapid," he said. "You could tell there's a big gun. You're not going to get those from no handgun. You're not." Deb Decker, a spokeswoman for emergency services in Montgomery County, Ohio, told CNN the assailant had been making his way to Ned Peppers from another bar when someone grabbed the barrel of his rifle, and he drew a handgun but was then shot as police arrived. The mayor said the carnage in Dayton marked the 250th mass shooting in the United States so far this year, a figure that could not immediately be verified.

In less than a minute, gunman kills 9 people in Ohio mass shooting

The US Senate on Monday rejected four measures restricting gun sales after last week&#39;s massacre in an Orlando nightclub, dealing a bitter setback to advocates who have failed to get even modest gun curbs through Congress despite repeated mass shootings. 
 
A group of senators was still hoping to forge a compromise for later in the week aimed at keeping firearms away from people on terrorism watch lists, although that effort faced an uphill battle with critics in both parties skeptical about its chances. 
 
Last week&#39;s massacre, the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history, had intensified pressure on lawmakers, who moved swiftly to take the issue to the Senate floor. But the gun-control measures lost in largely party-line votes that showed the lingering political power in Congress of gun rights defenders and the National Rifle Association (NRA). 
 
Republicans and their allies in the NRA gun lobby said the Democratic bills were too restrictive and trampled on the constitutional right to bear arms. Democrats attacked the Republicans&#39; two proposals as too weak and accused them of being in the thrall of the NRA. 
 
&quot;What am I going to tell the community of Orlando?&quot; asked Democratic Senator Bill Nelson of Florida after the votes. &quot;Sadly, what I&rsquo;m going to tell them is the NRA won again.&quot; 
 
Chris Cox, executive director of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, attacked the Democrats&#39; amendments and thanked Republicans for rejecting them. &quot;Today, the American people witnessed an embarrassing display in the United States,&quot; he said. 
 
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said the Democratic measures were ineffective and Republican senators &quot;are pursuing real solutions that can help keep Americans safer from the threat of terrorism.&quot; 
 
As the parties remain largely locked in their positions, polls show Americans are increasingly in favor of more restrictions on guns in a country with more than 310 million weapons, about one for every citizen. 
 
The issue is already a prominent one for voters in November elections. Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton supports new gun restrictions, while Republican Donald Trump expressed a willingness to talk to the NRA about the issue. 
 
After the votes, Clinton issued a one-word statement: &quot;Enough.&quot; It was followed by the names and ages of the dead in Orlando. 
 
Gun control efforts failed after mass shootings at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012 and a conference center in San Bernardino, California, in 2015. But some senators see resistance to gun restrictions softening as national security looms larger in the debate. 
 
The Orlando gunman, Omar Mateen, pledged allegiance to the militant group Islamic State as he killed 49 people in a gay nightclub. 
 
&quot;This country is under attack ... it&#39;s not a plane or an explosive device, it&#39;s an assault weapon,&quot; said Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat who led a 15-hour filibuster last week to draw attention to the effort to restrict guns. 
 
&#39;Shame on every single senator&#39; 
 
Murphy walked off the floor after the Senate votes and embraced Erica Smegielski, the daughter of Dawn Hochsprung, a Sandy Hook principal killed during the Newtown shooting. 
 
&quot;He said, the good thing about me and you is we&rsquo;re young, we&rsquo;ll be at this a long time,&quot; said Smegielski, 30. 
 
A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted last week found that 71 per cent of Americans favor at least moderate regulations and restrictions on gun sales. That compared with 60 per cent in late 2013 and late 2014. 
 
Senior Senate aides left open the possibility of other votes later in the week on unspecified gun control proposals. Some Republicans pinned hopes on a proposal by Senator Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, which was not one of the four bills being considered on Monday. 
 
Collins&#39; plan would restrict gun purchases to a narrow group of suspects, including those on a &quot;no-fly&quot; list or a &quot;selectee&quot; list of people who require additional screening at airports.. 
 
But Democratic aides said people credibly suspected of involvement in terrorism would not be covered by the weapons ban under Collins&#39; bill, and a Republican aide indicated it would not do enough to protect the constitutional rights of gun buyers. 
 
Even if the Senate approved a gun compromise, it would also have to be passed by the more conservative, Republican-majority House of Representatives. House Republican leadership aides did not comment on the possibility that any bills proposing gun restrictions would be considered on the House floor this week. 
 
On Monday, all four of the measures to expand background checks on gun buyers and curb gun sales to those on terrorism watch lists - two put forth by Democrats and two by Republicans - fell short of the 60 votes needed for passage in the 100-member chamber. 
 
Gun-control advocates expressed disappointment after the vote and vowed to take revenge on lawmakers at the ballot box in November. 
 
&quot;Shame on every single senator who voted against these life-saving amendments and protected the rights of terrorists and other dangerous people to buy guns,&quot; said Dan Gross, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. &quot;The Brady Campaign will expose these politicians for who they really are and call out their failure to disarm hate in America.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

Republicans and their NRA allies said the Democratic bills were too restrictive, the Democrats said the Republican's bills were too weak

The US Senate on Monday rejected four measures restricting gun sales after last week's massacre in an Orlando nightclub, dealing a bitter setback to advocates who have failed to get even modest gun curbs through Congress despite repeated mass shootings. A group of senators was still hoping to forge a compromise for later in the week aimed at keeping firearms away from people on terrorism watch lists, although that effort faced an uphill battle with critics in both parties skeptical about its chances. Last week's massacre, the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history, had intensified pressure on lawmakers, who moved swiftly to take the issue to the Senate floor. But the gun-control measures lost in largely party-line votes that showed the lingering political power in Congress of gun rights defenders and the National Rifle Association (NRA). Republicans and their allies in the NRA gun lobby said the Democratic bills were too restrictive and trampled on the constitutional right to bear arms. Democrats attacked the Republicans' two proposals as too weak and accused them of being in the thrall of the NRA. "What am I going to tell the community of Orlando?" asked Democratic Senator Bill Nelson of Florida after the votes. "Sadly, what I’m going to tell them is the NRA won again." Chris Cox, executive director of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, attacked the Democrats' amendments and thanked Republicans for rejecting them. "Today, the American people witnessed an embarrassing display in the United States," he said. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said the Democratic measures were ineffective and Republican senators "are pursuing real solutions that can help keep Americans safer from the threat of terrorism." As the parties remain largely locked in their positions, polls show Americans are increasingly in favor of more restrictions on guns in a country with more than 310 million weapons, about one for every citizen. The issue is already a prominent one for voters in November elections. Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton supports new gun restrictions, while Republican Donald Trump expressed a willingness to talk to the NRA about the issue. After the votes, Clinton issued a one-word statement: "Enough." It was followed by the names and ages of the dead in Orlando. Gun control efforts failed after mass shootings at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012 and a conference center in San Bernardino, California, in 2015. But some senators see resistance to gun restrictions softening as national security looms larger in the debate. The Orlando gunman, Omar Mateen, pledged allegiance to the militant group Islamic State as he killed 49 people in a gay nightclub. "This country is under attack ... it's not a plane or an explosive device, it's an assault weapon," said Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat who led a 15-hour filibuster last week to draw attention to the effort to restrict guns. 'Shame on every single senator' Murphy walked off the floor after the Senate votes and embraced Erica Smegielski, the daughter of Dawn Hochsprung, a Sandy Hook principal killed during the Newtown shooting. "He said, the good thing about me and you is we’re young, we’ll be at this a long time," said Smegielski, 30. A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted last week found that 71 per cent of Americans favor at least moderate regulations and restrictions on gun sales. That compared with 60 per cent in late 2013 and late 2014. Senior Senate aides left open the possibility of other votes later in the week on unspecified gun control proposals. Some Republicans pinned hopes on a proposal by Senator Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, which was not one of the four bills being considered on Monday. Collins' plan would restrict gun purchases to a narrow group of suspects, including those on a "no-fly" list or a "selectee" list of people who require additional screening at airports.. But Democratic aides said people credibly suspected of involvement in terrorism would not be covered by the weapons ban under Collins' bill, and a Republican aide indicated it would not do enough to protect the constitutional rights of gun buyers. Even if the Senate approved a gun compromise, it would also have to be passed by the more conservative, Republican-majority House of Representatives. House Republican leadership aides did not comment on the possibility that any bills proposing gun restrictions would be considered on the House floor this week. On Monday, all four of the measures to expand background checks on gun buyers and curb gun sales to those on terrorism watch lists - two put forth by Democrats and two by Republicans - fell short of the 60 votes needed for passage in the 100-member chamber. Gun-control advocates expressed disappointment after the vote and vowed to take revenge on lawmakers at the ballot box in November. "Shame on every single senator who voted against these life-saving amendments and protected the rights of terrorists and other dangerous people to buy guns," said Dan Gross, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. "The Brady Campaign will expose these politicians for who they really are and call out their failure to disarm hate in America." (Reuters)

US senate rejects gun control measures