Trump says admin ‘looking into’ bump stock ban

by Jordan Fabian - 10/05/17 7:18 PM ET

President Trump said Thursday he is open to considering legislation that would ban a firearm attachment used by the gunman who killed at last 58 people in Las Vegas.

“We’ll be looking into that over the next short period of time,” Trump said when asked by reporters whether he would support a ban on the attachment, known as a bump stock.

Earlier Thursday, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders indicated the administration would weigh the proposals but stopped short of supporting a ban.

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“We know that members of both parties and multiple organizations are planning to take a look at bump stocks and related devices,” she said. “We’d like to be a part of that conversation.”

A bump stock is a device that can be used to simulate automatic gunfire with a semi-automatic weapon, by harnessing a semi-automatic rifle’s recoil to increase its rate of fire.

Trump’s comments Thursday evening came as momentum grew on Capitol Hill for new restrictions on the attachments.

Authorities said a dozen of the rifles used by the Las Vegas suspect, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, had been modified with bump stocks.

The Sunday attack left 59 people dead, including the gunman, as well as hundreds more injured, making it the deadliest mass shooting in modern United States history.

Democrats and Republicans alike have voiced their support for banning bump stocks following Sunday’s events, with a number of lawmakers introducing bills to outlaw the devices.

But Trump has been a vocal supporter of gun rights since the 2016 campaign and it’s unclear whether he would sign new gun control legislation into law.

Sanders said it’s too early to decide whether to back such a measure, with law enforcement still investigating the shooting.

“We’d like to see a clear understanding of the facts,” she said.

Tags Bump stocks Guns Las Vegas shooting