Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel stands by President Barack Obama's take on gun safety.
In a statement following Obama's Wednesday address on gun violence, Emanuel called the approach thoughtful and comprehensive.
“These are exactly the common sense laws that we need as a city and a nation to help prevent the gun violence that too often plagues our communities," the mayor said.
"People throughout the country are supportive of common sense laws that keep guns out of the hands of criminals and give law enforcement officials the tools they need to protect our children, our families and our neighborhoods.”
Obama announced a $500 million package of executive actions and legislative proposals aimed at reducing gun violence and called on Congress to strengthen background checks and require a universal background check for anybody trying to buy a gun.
He also called on Congress to restore the assault weapons ban and a 10-round magazine limit.
Obama is doing it in part, he said, for Chicago.
The president name-checked the murder rate in his hometown while pointing to several recent massacres in the country, including the mass shooting in Newtown, Conn.
"The most fundamental set of rights, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, fundamental rights that were denied to college students at Virginia Tech, high school students at Columbine and elementary school students in Newtown, and kids on street corners in Chicago, are too frequent a basis to tolerate," he said.
Emanuel hasn't been shy about supporting Obama on this and other matters, but within minutes the mayor tweeted his thoughts.
"I support the President’s plan to ban assault weapons and clips, institute a criminal background check & crack down on gun runners," he wrote.
Chicago ended the year with 516 murders.
Since then, Emanuel has laid out plans to propose new gun control measures that would broaden a requirement for gun owners to report the loss, theft or sale of firearms. He also told city pension funds this week to divest from gun manufacturers.
