Easy access to weapons unconscionable: Barack Obama

Renewing his call to reduce gun violence, President Barack Obama characterised easy access to weapons as “unconscionable” Saturday, less than a week after the worst mass shooting in US history. “Even after we see parents grieve for their children, the fact that we as a country do nothing to prevent the next heartbreak makes no sense,” Mr Obama said in his weekly radio address.

“Being tough on terrorism, particularly the sorts of homegrown terrorism that we’ve seen now in Orlando and San Bernardino, means making it harder for people who want to kill Americans to get their hands on assault weapons that are capable of killing dozens of innocents as quickly as possible,” Mr Obama said.

In a similar incident, a man and wife opened fire in San Bernardino, California, on a Christmas party in December, killing 14 people.

“It’s unconscionable that we allow easy access to weapons of war in these places,” Mr Obama said.

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton also called for strong gun control laws and plugging the loopholes in the rules that are currently prevailing.

In an open letter on the first anniversary of Charleston church massacre and less than a week after the horrific shooting in Orlando, Ms Clinton said an average of 90 people a day are killed by gun violence in our country.

“This must stop. A good first step is closing the ‘Charleston Loophole’ in our gun laws, which allows a person otherwise prohibited from buying a gun — such as a domestic abuser or other violent criminal — to buy one if a background check isn’t completed within three business days,” Ms Clinton said. “This loophole allowed the alleged Charleston shooter to buy his gun despite his prior arrest record. How many more innocent people need to be cut down before we act and close this dangerous loophole ” she asked.

Last year nine churchgoers, all African-American, were shot by a young, white man who entered their Charleston, South Carolina, church, joined their Bible study for an hour and then opened fire.