Activists in Newtown call for tougher gun laws after Vegas

Activists in Newtown, where the Sandy Hook school shooting took place, held a Wednesday night vigil for those killed in Las Vegas.

Members of advocacy group The Newtown Action Alliance, formed after the 2012 mass killing, held candles and waved banners calling for tougher gun laws.

Twenty children and six adults were killed during the attack on Sandy Hook primary school, while 58 people were shot dead and more than 500 wounded in Las Vegas.

Members of The Newtown Action Alliance, formed after the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting, held a vigil last night for the victims in Las Vegas

The activists held pictures of dead loved ones and banners denouncing the NRA and the National Sports Shooting Federation as they held the vigil

The activists held pictures of dead loved ones and banners denouncing the NRA and the National Sports Shooting Federation as they held the vigil

Mark Barden holds up a picture of his son Daniel who was killed in the Sandy Hook masracre during a vigil remembering the 58 people killed in Sunday's shooting in Las Vegas

Mark Barden holds up a picture of his son Daniel who was killed in the Sandy Hook masracre during a vigil remembering the 58 people killed in Sunday’s shooting in Las Vegas

Twenty children and six adults were shot dead during the Shandy Hook attack, while 58 people died and more than 500 were wounded in Las Vegas on Sunday

Twenty children and six adults were shot dead during the Shandy Hook attack, while 58 people died and more than 500 were wounded in Las Vegas on Sunday

President Trump, who supported Barack Obama’s call for tougher gun laws after Sandy Hook, has so far remained silent on the issue after Las Vegas.

Travelling to Puerto Rico on Tuesday, where he met victims of the hurricane, he said a discussion will be had ‘at some point’, but did not say when that would be.

Interviewed in Vegas on Wednesday night, the President pointedly refused to make any further remarks on the issue.

Steve Bannon, former Trump chief strategist, has warned that ‘everything will be lost’ if the President backs tougher gun laws. 

Hillary Clinton was one of the first to discuss the issue as she spoke with Jimmy Kimmel, who also called out Congress for inaction on the issue which took place in his home town.

She said: ‘The vast majority of Americans and the vast majority of gun owners know we need common sense laws.’

While some Republicans have indicated a willingness to ban some of the devices used during Sunday's massacre, tougher gun laws are not expected to be passed

While some Republicans have indicated a willingness to ban some of the devices used during Sunday’s massacre, tougher gun laws are not expected to be passed

President Trump has indicated he is willing to talk about gun regulation 'at some point', but has not said when that will be

President Trump has indicated he is willing to talk about gun regulation ‘at some point’, but has not said when that will be

Stephen Paddock had an arsenal of 23 weapons in his Las Vegas hotel room on Sunday when he opened fire of the Route 91 Harvest Festival

Stephen Paddock had an arsenal of 23 weapons in his Las Vegas hotel room on Sunday when he opened fire of the Route 91 Harvest Festival

Paddock modified his rifles with high-powered scopes, bipods and 'bump stocks' which effectively convert semi-automatics into full automatics. Some GOP figures say they would be open to banning the rifle stocks

Paddock modified his rifles with high-powered scopes, bipods and ‘bump stocks’ which effectively convert semi-automatics into full automatics. Some GOP figures say they would be open to banning the rifle stocks

The day after the horrible scenes in Nevada, Mrs Clinton tweeted: ‘The crowd fled at the sound of gunshots.

‘Imagine the deaths if the shooter had a silencer, which the NRA wants to make easier to get.’ 

Senior GOP members have expressed interest in some gun restrictions following Vegas, with the ‘silencer bill’ that Clinton mentioned not scheduled for a vote

Others indicated they would consider a ban on ‘bump stocks’ which were used by Vegas butcher Stephen Paddock to effectively convert semi-automatic weapons into full-automatics.

But further action, such as restricting the sale of high-powered rifles and expanded magazines used by Paddock to cause carnage, were shot down as non-starters.

House Speaker Paul Ryan told reporters: ‘ What I don’t think you want your government to do is to lurch toward reactions before even having all the facts. 

‘Bad people are going to do bad things.’ 

Dozens of people turned out for the vigil in Newtown on Wednesday, the day after hundreds had held a similar event in Vegas itself

Dozens of people turned out for the vigil in Newtown on Wednesday, the day after hundreds had held a similar event in Vegas itself

Barbara Allen, of Sandy Hook, attends the vigil in Newtown on Wednesday night

Barbara Allen, of Sandy Hook, attends the vigil in Newtown on Wednesday night

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