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| Virginia Beach Shooting Leads Governor to Call Special Session on Gun Violence | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Citing the shooting in Virginia Beach in which 12 people were killed, “as well as the tragedies that happen every day across Virginia,” Gov. Ralph Northam on Tuesday called for a special session of the General Assembly to vote on gun control bills. | Citing the shooting in Virginia Beach in which 12 people were killed, “as well as the tragedies that happen every day across Virginia,” Gov. Ralph Northam on Tuesday called for a special session of the General Assembly to vote on gun control bills. |
| He listed a number of measures he intended to propose, including universal background checks and a requirement that people report lost or stolen firearms. Those ideas were floated in the past but died in committee before reaching the floor of the Legislature. | He listed a number of measures he intended to propose, including universal background checks and a requirement that people report lost or stolen firearms. Those ideas were floated in the past but died in committee before reaching the floor of the Legislature. |
| This time, the governor said, he was demanding that the measures be “put to a vote by the entire General Assembly.” | This time, the governor said, he was demanding that the measures be “put to a vote by the entire General Assembly.” |
| On Friday, a city engineer who had resigned earlier that day stormed the Virginia Beach municipal complex and killed 11 of his former colleagues, along with a contractor who was seeing about a permit. The gunman was killed in a shootout with police officers. | |
| “It is right to respond to this tragedy with decisive action,” said Mr. Northam, a Democrat. “Let Virginia set an example for the nation that we can respond to tragedy with action.” | “It is right to respond to this tragedy with decisive action,” said Mr. Northam, a Democrat. “Let Virginia set an example for the nation that we can respond to tragedy with action.” |
| In a statement, the speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, Kirk Cox, a Republican, called the governor’s request for a special session “hasty and suspect when considered against the backdrop of the last few months,” apparently referring to a scandal in which Mr. Northam gave conflicting accounts about appearing in blackface as a medical school student, then responded to widespread calls for his resignation by pledging to focus on issues of inequity. | |
| Mr. Cox said that at a special session, Republican lawmakers would address gun violence “by holding criminals accountable with tougher sentences — including mandatory minimums,” rather than “infringing on the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens.” | |
| All seats in the Virginia legislature are on the ballot in November. Republicans hold slim majorities in both houses. | |
| This developing story will be updated. | This developing story will be updated. |