US President Joe Biden called on Congress to pass new legislation introduced earlier in the day to ban assault weapons, in light of the recent spate of shootings including in Monterey Park, California.  

"Today, Senator [Dianne] Feinstein... has once again introduced an Assault Weapons and High-Capacity Magazine Ban in the Senate, as well as legislation raising the age to purchase them to 21," Biden said in a statement on Monday.

He urged both chambers of Congress to act quickly and deliver the Assault Weapons Ban.

Biden said there was still work to be done to "keep dangerous firearms out of dangerous hands," after he signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act this summer. 

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"In the short time since, communities across America have been struck by tragedy after tragedy, including mass shootings from Colorado Springs to Monterey Park and daily acts of gun violence that do not make national headlines," he added.    

Over the weekend, a gunman opened fire in southern California at the Monterey Park dance studio at a street festival celebrating Lunar New Year, killing 11 and injuring nine others.

The suspected gunman fled the scene and was found dead by authorities in a van in a neighboring city. Earlier on Monday, police in Half Moon Bay, California, about 30 miles south of San Francisco, said a suspect was in custody after reports of four found dead in two separate shootings.

Also, local US media reported that at least 12 people were injured in a shooting at a nightclub in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The shooting occurred at 01:30 am local time (07:30 GMT) on Sunday, according to the WAFB television channel, quoting police.

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