A week after deadly July 4th parade shooting, Illinois officials visit White House

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - More gun control, that’s the message from Illinois’ governor and the City of Highland Park’s mayor.

They were at the White House on Monday where the Biden administration commemorated the signing of the bipartisan gun reform law, the Safer Communities Act. The president signed the law just a few days before the mass shooting at Highland Park’s 4th of July parade.

“The Safer Communities Act will make a difference, it will save lives. But it’s not enough,” Governor J.B. Pritzker (D-Ill.) said. “We need to pass an assault weapons ban.”

Governor Pritzker’s message echoed that of President Joe Biden, who also called for a ban on the type of weapons used in the mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, Uvalde, Texas, and Highland Park, Illinois.

President Biden said, “That’s what we owe those families in Highland Park, where on July 4th the parade became a killing field.”

Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering also attended the White House ceremony, joined by Highland Park Police Commander Chris O’Neill. Police say the accused shooter Illinois gunman used a legally-purchased M&P 15 semiautomatic rifle to fire on the 4th of July parade.

Rotering said, “I don’t know what more we can do than say to our national leaders, take these guns out of the hands of the public.”

The previous federal ban on these types of weapons was in effect from 1994 until 2004.

Governor Pritzker said while continuing to push for a federal ban, Illinois will also look at limiting assault weapons and high-capacity magazines at the state level.