President Trump directs Justice Department to ban bump stocks

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has directed the Justice Department to ban gun attachments like bump stocks, something that can be used to enable a weapon to fire rapidly –as many as 400 to 800 rounds per minute.

Washington state Governor Jay Inslee called for a state ban on the attachments after the Las Vegas massacre. Lawmakers have discussed the ban in this legislative session; Senate Bill 5992 would make it illegal to own, sell, purchase or make bump stocks.

In the wake of the the fatal shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Florida, where 17 people were killed by a gunman, Trump has offered support for a limited strengthening of federal background checks on gun purchases while staying largely mum about the victims.

But on Tuesday, Trump announced that he signed a memo Attorney General Jeff Sessions to clarify if bump stocks are illegal and propose regulations to “ban all devices that turn legal weapons into machine guns.”

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"We must do more to protect our children," President Trump said at Tuesday's Medal of Valor Ceremony. "School safety is a top priority for my administration."

The main action Trump has taken on guns in office has been to sign a resolution blocking an Obama-era rule designed to keep guns out of the hands of certain mentally disabled people. The president has voiced strong support for gun rights and the National Rifle Association.

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Associated Press