BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ( WBRC ) - Birmingham’s mass shooting in 5 Points South served as the backdrop at an event at the White House focused on combatting violent gun crime Thursday .

President Joe Biden announced a conversion device, like a Glock switch, was recovered at the crime scene where 21 people were shot . Birmingham Police believe fully automatic weapons were used during the shooting. Conversion devices fit onto semi-automatic weapons and allow them to fire at the rate of a machine gun. Experts say they have less control over where the bullets are fired.

“Machine gun conversion devices enable semi-automatic firearms including easily concealable handguns to match or exceed the rate of fire of many military machineguns with a single engagement of the trigger—up to 20 bullets in one second,” Biden said.

Biden signed an Executive Order that creates a new task force to monitor emerging gun violence threats, including conversion devices and 3-D printed guns.

The Emerging Firearms Threats Task Force, comprised of leaders from federal agencies, will assess the threat posed by Glock switches or conversion devices that convert a semi-automatic pistol to a fully automatic weapon. Biden also directed the task force to assess how federal agents detect and seize the devices and how best to combat the issue. Conversion devices are illegal under federal law, but there is no state law to regulate machine guns.

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin spoke at the event, calling on lawmakers to do the right thing and help stop violence and bloodshed in places like Birmingham, Alabama. Woodfin drew from his personal experience of losing his own brother to gun violence, explaining he relived that moment over the weekend.

“I heard that scream again this past Saturday when four other lives were stolen and 17 others were shot during a horrific shooting in Birmingham,” Woodfin stated. “Saving lives isn’t partisan…saving lives is the most American thing we can do together.”

Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris both threw their support behind reinstating an assault weapons ban, which Woodfin previously said lowered violent crime in Birmingham while in effect.

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