US President Barack Obama has accused the American gun lobby of "wilfully lying" after lawmakers there rejected plans for tighter gun controls. Senators voted against proposals to introduce background checks.
Just moments after the decision, the President was with Sandy Hook families at the White House. Their tears were flowing and he was comforting them as best he could.
His anger was evident. Mr. Obama described the actions of the Senate as a "shameful day for America".
The plans were drawn up following the December massacre at the school in Newtown in Connecticut. Mark Barden is the father of one of the victims.
20 children were gunned down. Mark's 7-year-old son Daniel was one of those who died.
There has been a vocal reaction online to the senators' rejection of the proposals:
Gun control's never been a political issue in Britain - just a safety issue. In America, it's political, and that's the problem.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) April 17, 2013
Politicians' expanded gun control effort fails in the Senate today. Count this a victory for the 2nd Amendment and law-abiding citizens.
— Sarah Palin (@SarahPalinUSA) April 17, 2013
Take some time tonight to read the tweets of the anti gun control folks on here. Then try and sleep. Good luck.
— andy lassner (@andylassner) April 18, 2013
Republicans in the senate block background checks on gun buyers. Utterly shameful.nyti.ms/12nWhOb
— moby (@thelittleidiot) April 18, 2013
You should be outraged by today's vote. Not because you're Pro or Anti-Gun Control, but because your opinion officially no longer matters.
— Ryan Foster (@rfosterdesign) April 18, 2013
