Weekend shootings strike two states

Gunfire killed at least six people and wounded dozens in a pair of separate incidents. The first shooting killed at least three late Saturday night in a popular entertainment district in downtown Philadelphia. Police and witnesses described “several active shooters” firing into a crowd, and bullets struck at least 14 people. Hours later in Chattanooga, Tenn., gunfire wounded 14 and killed at least three people near a nightclub early Sunday morning. Three others were struck by cars as drivers sped away from the chaotic scene.

How has this affected the gun control debate? Some lawmakers Sunday pointed to the pair of shootings as the latest examples of why Congress must take action. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., is part of a bipartisan group of senators looking for common ground on the issue. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., told CNN he’s never been a part of negotiations on gun legislation as serious as these. He said possible measures include red flag laws and some changes to existing background checks. But he said new comprehensive background checks or a ban on semi-automatic rifles aren’t on the table.

Dig deeper: Read Carolina Lumetta’s report in The Stew explaining red flag laws.