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Atlanta Mayor Reed Ready to Talk Gun Control; Won’t Yet Support Specific Measures

WABE

July 23rd, 2012

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said the mass killing in Colorado should force the nation’s leaders to take a new look at whether stricter gun control laws are needed.

Here in Atlanta, it was 13 years ago next week that day trader Mark Barton killed nine people and wounded 13 others at two trading firm offices in Buckhead. At the time, Barton had already killed his wife and two children.Over the weekend, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg criticized both President Obama and presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, for what Bloomberg called a lack of attention to the issue of gun control. Among other possible measures, the New York mayor discussed a return to the now-expired ban on assault weapons, or tougher requirements for background checks at gun shows.

But, in a July 23rd conversation with WABE’s Denis O’Hayer, Mayor Reed said he’s not yet ready to endorse any specific measures.

“We definitely need to make sure it’s a part of the national conversation again,” Reed said. “I don’t think that we’re doing enough or talking enough about it. And I remember that shooting, the day trader shooting, I remember it; I was here. And that’s why I immediately increased police support at our theaters (following the Aurora shooting), as did the Mayor of Los Angeles, and as did the Mayor of New York, and we spoke about it recently. We understand that there are copycats out here. We’re being extra-vigilant. It doesn’t mean that you can prevent people who have serious mental issues…but we’re going to be vigilant. And I think that we need to put this issue back on the front burner of our national conversation.

O’Hayer asked, “Specifically, closing the gun show loophole, or an assault weapons ban. Should the two major party candidates be talking about this be honest, I have not been focused on this myself. So, rather than to simply sign on to what other people are talking about this, and would you like to see Congress pass either of those?”

The Mayor replied, “What I’m going to do is to read the tactics and legislation that works again, because, to be honest, I have not been focused on this myself. So rather than to simply sign on to what other people are talking about, I’m going to read about it myself. But with regard to the issue of whether this needs to be a part of the national conversation—whether we need to take it on—I believe that we need to take it on. But we need to figure out the strongest way to.

O’Hayer asked, “So, at this point, you’re not ready to say, oh, yes, we need an assault weapons ban, or tighter restrictions on sales through gun shows?

Mayor Reed answered, ”No, at this point, what I want to do is to give a thoughtful answer based on having a refreshed memory, rather than going off of an old talking point in my mind.”