() Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, whose city became the latest to experience a deadly school shooting, says his local government ought to be able to ban semiautomatic assault weapons and high-capacity magazines if state and federal legislators won’t respond to the events.

One problem, Frey told “Elizabeth Vargas Reports” on Thursday, is that Minneapolis is preempted under state law from even trying.

“If the state and the feds are either unwilling or unable to do so because of the politics, give Minneapolis the ability to do it,” the Democrat said. “We will ban those types of assault weapons that have been horrendous for our communities.”

Frey added: “Of course, if we can get a state and a federal ban, that’s the direction that we should ultimately go.”

Two Catholic school children, aged 8 and 10, were killed Wednesday when a shooter opened fire on Annunciation Catholic Church during a back-to-school Mass. Authorities say Robin Westman fired more than 100 rifle rounds through stained-glass windows, injuring another 18 people, mostly children, before the shooter died by suicide.

The U.S. has not had an overarching assault weapon ban since 2004, when the previous law lapsed during President George W. Bush’s administration.

Several state governments and localities have banned assault weapons and equipment but in some cases allow gun owners to grandfather in previously purchased rifles. Some of these measures have been challenged in court on constitutional grounds.