In the last few years, the number of mass killings in the United States has soared, with the most recent tally of gun deaths surpassing the previous record set by Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012.
The number of gun-related deaths in the U.S. increased from 874 in 2014 to 945 in 2015, according to the FBI.
This includes 569 homicides, 876 suicides and 661 unintentional deaths.
The National Rifle Association has been a strong supporter of President Donald Trump’s campaign and has pushed for more gun restrictions and stricter background checks, but many lawmakers have voiced opposition to stricter gun laws.
In response, the NRA has said it will not engage in a political campaign.
Trump’s former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus has said he is concerned about mass shootings, but has also said the president is not concerned with guns, as it is a domestic issue.
In a statement, Priebus said the media and gun control groups “are using the issue of mass murders to make their political point and deflect attention from the real issue: gun control.”
