Inslee, Nevada Democrats call for expanded background checks

LAS VEGAS – Democrats urging more action to prevent gun violence held a news conference Thursday at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to call for expanded background checks and a ban on bump stocks, which allow semi-automatic weapons to fire rapidly like automatic firearms.

Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee, chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, spoke at the event. Other speakers included Nevada Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford and Karl Catarata, a UNLV student who has helped organize student protests against gun violence.

The event came a day before students around the country, including in at least a dozen Nevada schools, planned to walk out of class to protest gun violence on the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting in Colorado.