The White House and National Rifle Association both came out in favor of reviewing regulations of bump fire stocks, the device that contributed to the deaths of 58 people in the Las Vegas mass shooting Sunday night. Bump stocks are modifications that convert semi-automatic weapons to full automatics, allowing them to shoot hundreds of rounds per minute. They were originally created with the idea of making it easier for people with disabilities to shoot.
“The NRA believes that devices designed to allow semi-automatic rifles to function like fully-automatic rifles should be subject to additional regulations,” said the NRA in a statement released Thursday afternoon, its first public comments since the shooting.
Demand for bump stocks has skyrocketed in the wake of the mass shooting as gun owners anticipate additional regulations on the devices. Bump stocks were found on twelve of the nearly two dozen firearms recovered from the hotel room of Las Vegas shooting suspect Stephen Paddock.
It was reported Thursday that the NRA had banned bump stocks at its own firing range in Fairfax, Va.
While the NRA came out in favor of tighter regulations on bump stocks, it stopped short of voicing support for stricter gun laws across the board.
