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The massacre at Sandy Hook elementary school in Connecticut has shocked the world.

It's also reopened the debate over gun control in the United Sates.

Democratic Senator Ginny Burdick is among those backing the President's call for action.

SOUNDBITE: DEMOCRATIC SENATOR GINNY BURDICK SAYING (English):

"The guns we are seeing in our communities have nothing to do with hunting, they have to do with killing people and we have to get real about that."

Twenty young children and six adults died when Adam Lanza opened fire at their school on Friday.

The gunman, who also killed his mother, took his own life.

But shooting enthusiasts at this range just over 30 kilometres from the scene are defending their sport.

SOUNDBITE: GEORGE LANGE, SHOOTING ENTHUSIAST, SAYING (English):

"If they want to get a gun and do harm to people they're going to find a way to, legally or illegally. I mean, there's, you can only crack down so far."

SOUNDBITE: MIKE MASON, SHOOTING ENTHUSIAST, SAYING (English):

"If they took a little more time to, you know, get a safe and all that this stuff wouldn't happen and you know, if there a lot more people walking the streets armed I think people would think twice about pulling the trigger."

The people of Newtown where the latest shooting happened have their own message for President Barack Obama.

SOUNDBITE: JIM CALLERY, LOCAL RESIDENT, SAYING (English):

"There's no reason for anyone to have an assault rifle or have access to one. Just show some leadership."

SOUNDBITE: KENSIE WILLIAMS, STUDENT, SAYING (English):

"That all the innocent kids died and they didn't have the right to die and they were only six years old." (CHECK TRANSCRIPT)

Obama's pledged action to stop similar tragedies - but that will be no easy task.

Opinion polls have found Americans divided on gun control even after other high-profile shooting incidents.