December 5, 2017 — Today, Giffords, the gun violence prevention organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffordsand her husband, combat veteran and retired NASA astronaut Captain Mark Kelly, expressed concern with the Department of Justice announcement that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) would move forward with a plan to regulate bump stocks. This was the device that played a role in the Las Vegas massacre, the deadliest mass shooting in American history.
Previously, it was reported that ATF concluded through a classification review from 2010 that a bump stock is a firearm accessory rather than a machine gun and can’t be regulated under the Gun Control Act or the National Firearms Act. Both Democrats and Republicans in Congress have called for action to sensibly monitor these devices to stop them from being used in mass shootings.
“One individual used bump stocks to turn a shooting into a massacre that forever changed the lives of hundreds of Americans,” said David Chipman, Giffords Senior Policy Advisor and 25-year ATF veteran. “Law enforcement officials want to be able to stop dangerous people from building even more lethal weapons from accessories. Congress should take proper action to cement into law the ability to restrict bump stocks and stop them from being transferred to the wrong hands. As part of any legislation Congress must also give the ATF clear authority to restrict these devices. We will work to ensure that their final regulations are the strongest possible to prevent bump stocks from posing future threats to public safety.”
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