Joe Biden has called for a ban on assault weapons and high capacity magazines in light of the Colorado shooting which killed ten people on March 22 this year.

The alleged suspect of the shooting was identified as 21-year-old Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa who was charged with ten counts of first-degree murder and one charge of attempted murder.

This shooting occurred less than a week after the shooting spree in Atlanta.

“As president, I’m going to use all the resources at my disposal to keep people safe,” Biden said in a speech on Tuesday. “This is not and should not be a partisan issue… this is an American issue.”

The President called on the Senate to immediately pass approved bills changing background check laws.

He lists the banning of assault weapons and high capacity magazines, as well as strengthening background check laws, as key areas the Congress should focus on.

The American government has received criticism over the years in regards to their response towards gun restrictions, and the various massacres that have plagued the country.

The current U.S. gun laws state that anyone is able to purchase a gun, provided they meet the minimum age requirement of 18 years old, and are able to pass a background check.

“It will save lives. American lives. We have to act,” Biden says.

He made no mention of gun reform after the death of eight Asian-Americans in Atlanta, and instead focussed on the recent increase of violent crimes committed against Asian-Americans instead.

Yet the aftermath of the Colorado shooting has led to the President facing increased pressure to voice an opinion on the matter.

This attack was the seventh mass killing in the U.S. this year, and the country can only hope these laws will make it harder for people to buy weapons of war.

By Natashia Laurena