Minneapolis mayor calls for federal ban on assault weapons after school shooter killed two children as they prayed
The Mayor of Minneapolis has called for a statewide and federal ban on assault weapons after two children were killed in a mass shooting at a Catholic school on Wednesday.
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Jacob Frey also called for the ban to apply to high capacity magazines after Robin Westman stormed Annunciation Catholic Church and killed two children with the weapons during the first mass of the school year.
"There is no reason that someone should be able to reel off 30 shots before they even have to reload," Mr Frey said.
"We're not talking about your father's hunting rifle here. We're talking about guns that are built to pierce armour and kill people," he said.
He added that part of the issue is the free flow of assault weapons from city to city – saying it will take political unity between cities to address the problem.
At around 8.30am on Wednesday, Westman used assault weapons to fire through stained glass windows at the children sitting on the pews inside the Annunciation Catholic Church before dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, officials said.
Two children aged 8 and 10 have been killed, and at least 18 other people are injured, officials say.
Mr Frey said thoughts and prayers "are not gonna cut it" for the victims.
"Minneapolis is mourning… We are committed to not having this be the scenario where another politician comes up to say never again," he said.
The FBI has said it is investigating the shooting as an "act of domestic terrorism" and a "hate crime targeting Catholics".
Police are still trying to establish a motive and have been searching four areas - the church and three nearby homes "that are related to this shooter".
Officers are continuing to find more firearms at those homes, police chief Brian O'Hara confirmed.
A now-deleted YouTube account believed to be Westman's - shared hours before the mass shooting - showed what appeared to be a manifesto.
Words and drawings are scribbled on the pages, with one reading: "I have had thoughts about mass murder for a long time. I am very conflicted with writing this journal," according to the New York Post.
In notes written in both English and Cyrillic, Westman wrote: "I am feeling good about Annunciation. It seems like a good combo of easy attack form and devastating tragedy and I want to do more research. I have concerns about finding a large enough group. I want to avoid any parents, but pre and post-school drop-off.
"Maybe I could attack an event at the on-site church. I think attacking a large group of kids coming in from recess is my best plan … Then from there I can go inside and kill, going for as long as I can."
The killer also allegedly scribbled neo-Nazi messaging on gun parts and smoke grenades, reading "Jew Gas" and "6 million wasn’t enough", referring to the number of Jewish people killed during the Holocaust.
"Israel must fall", "kill Donald Trump" and "for the children" also appeared in the magazines.
Court documents have revealed Westman's name was changed from Robert to Robin when the killer was 17.
Westman's mother worked at the school where the slaughter was carried out, according to local reports.