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Liberal Pittsburgh mayor calls for gun control, rejects Trump's call for more armed guards
PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 28: Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto speaks during a press conference on the mass shooting that killed 11 people and wounded 6 at the Tree Of Life Synagogue on October 28, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The suspected gunman has been charged with 29 federal counts in the mass shooting that police say was fueled by antisemitism. (Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)

Liberal Pittsburgh mayor calls for gun control, rejects Trump's call for more armed guards

Pittsburgh's Democratic mayor, Bill Peduto, said on "Meet the Press" Sunday that he doesn't believe that more armed guards at places of worship are the answer, and that the appropriate response to Saturday's mass murder at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh is more gun control.

Appearing on NBC's flagship Sunday news program, Peduto said, "I belong to an organization, a bipartisan organization, called Mayors Against Illegal Guns... I don't think that the answer to this problem is solved by having our synagogues, mosques and churches filled with armed guards or schools filled with armed guards."

Mayors Against Illegal Guns is an anti-gun group formed by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Peduto continued, "We should try to stop irrational behavior from happening at the forefront. And not try to create laws around irrational behavior to continue."

Peduto was responding to comments made by President Donald Trump before a campaign rally on Saturday. Referring to the tragedy, President Trump said, "This is a case where if they had an armed guard inside, they might have been able to stop him immediately. Isn't it a shame that we even have to think of that inside of a temple, or inside of a church, but certainly, the results might have been far better."

The suspect in Saturday's mass murder has been charged with dozens of federal crimes so far, including murder and hate crimes. He additionally faces numerous possible prosecutions for violations of Pennsylvania law. The killer's social media profiles were rife with anti-Semitic comments, including comments that disparaged President Trump for having too many Jews in his administration.

Peduto has a lengthy history of adherence to liberal causes and opposition to President Trump, including a promise that the City of Pittsburgh would continue to follow the Paris climate agreement after President Trump announced the country's withdrawal from the protocl.

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