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Schumer Renews Calls For Stricter Gun Control In Wake Of Oregon School Shooting

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- In the wake of the deadly shootings at a community college in Oregon, Sen. Charles Schumer is renewing calls for stricter gun control laws.

Schumer said people are "just fed up" after another mass shooting and said it may now finally be right for some changes in gun laws.

"I think America is beginning to wake up," he told 1010 WINS' Al Jones. "It's every month now, tragedy after tragedy."

Nine people were killed in the rampage last Thursday at Umpqua Community College. The gunman, Christopher Sean Harper-Mercer, committed suicide.

The senator says one area where there seems to be some consensus is legislation keeping guns out of the hands of the mentally ill.

"Most Americans agree if you have serious mental illness problems, you shouldn't get a gun," he said. "But the law allows you to get a gun."

Another target is background checks for gun shows and Internet sales.

"I've introduced a bill which is much tighter on background checks," Schumer said. "I worked with former Mayor Bloomberg and others on this and it had broad support. That's the kind of bill we'd like to see done."

But that bill, like others, stalled after stiff opposition from the gun lobby.

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