US calls for stricter gun regulations after Vegas shooting

After a deadly shooting at a concert in Las Vegas that left at least 58 people dead on Sunday, one of the United States' most divisive topics, gun control, was once again on the political agenda.      

Top congressional Republicans signaled on Wednesday that they would be open to banning the firearm accessory known as a bump stock that the Las Vegas gunman used to transform his rifles to mimic automatic weapon fire.

On Thursday, President Donald Trump said his administration is considering whether bump stock accessories should be banned in the wake of Sunday's shooting.

"We'll be looking into that over the next short period of time," said Trump, ahead of a dinner with senior military leaders.

Most Americans consider gun violence a problem

These political developments echo the US public's will for stricter government regulation. According to a PEW Research Centre report published this past June, 83 percent of Americans consider gun violence in the US as a big problem, including 50 percent who see it as a "very big problem."

The report also showed that 47 percent of Americans are of the opinion that stricter regulations in obtaining firearms will result in fewer mass shootings. 

However, there is still great support for the right to bear arms. The research also showed that 47 percent of the population saw owning guns as an essential right to their sense of freedom.

TRT World's correspondent John Brain reports from a shooting range in Nevada:

Republican House Speaker agrees

Although the GOP is known for its support of more lax gun regulations, Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan said on Thursday in an interview with MSNBC that it's "clearly something we need to look into."

The comments from lawmakers including No. 2 Senate Republican John Cornyn of Texas mark a surprising departure from the GOP's general antipathy to gun regulations of any kind.

NRA calls for a review

The NRA, a staunch defender of peoples' right to own guns, also called on regulators to determine whether the bump-stock devices comply with federal law.

“The National Rifle Association is calling on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to immediately review whether these devices comply with federal law,” the powerful gun lobby group said in a statement. 

In a statement on Thursday, the NRA said the devices "should be subject to additional regulations.”

The devices are known as bump stocks, among other names. They're legal and originally were intended to help people with limited hand mobility fire a semi-automatic without the individual trigger pulls required.