California Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu stepped out of a moment of silence Monday for the slain victims of a recent mass shooting in a Texas church, urging action towards stricter gun laws.
Lieu published a video on Facebook addressing his removal from the moment of silence shortly afterward.
"I'm heartbroken about the children and adults that were in the worst mass shooting in Texas history this Sunday," he said.
Referencing the Texas shooting, recent Las Vegas mass shooting and Pulse nightclub shooting, he explained how throughout his career in Congress, he witnessed three of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history.
"I will not be silent," he said. "What we need, is we need action. We need to pass gun safety legislation now."
Lieu suggested lawmakers should implement a universal background check, ban assault rifles and ban bump stocks, which Stephen Paddock used to kill over 50 people during the Las Vegas massacre and injure more than 500 others.
"We need to act now," Lieu said to conclude the minute-long video.
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A gunman fired a semi-automatic rifle at a church in Sutherland Springs, a small town in South Texas, on Sunday. The shooting killed 26 people and injured about 20 others.
Two good Samaritans pursued the gunman after he attempted to flee the scene in his truck. The shooter, Devin Patrick Kelley, was found dead inside his getaway vehicle.
