Indianapolis Catholic archbishop endorses total ban on assault weapons

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indianapolis Catholic archbishop has taken a stance on gun violence.

Archbishop Charles C. Thompson is calling for a total ban on assault weapons, universal background checks for all gun purchases, and regulations on handgun purchasing.

“With this in mind, we strongly urge all Indiana state lawmakers and members of Congress to reflect on these tragic events and be moved to action because of them,” Thompson wrote. “We believe that there is something deeply wrong with a culture where racially motivated hate crimes and acts of violence—in schools, in places of worship, on city streets, and in the public square—are increasingly common.”

The statement was released following a series of mass shootings in the United States and while Congress contemplates measures to curb mass shootings.

These measures were previously recommended in 2017 by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

You can read Thompson’s full statement here.