Video: Americans march for gun control in Washington DC protest About 100 residents from Newtown, where a gunman killed 20 first-graders and six teachers, travelled to Washington together, organisers said. Once the crowd arrived at the monument, speakers called for a ban on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition and for universal background checks on gun sales. US Education Secretary Arne Duncan told the crowd their message was not about taking away Second Amendment gun rights, but about gun safety and saving lives. "This is about fewer dead Americans, fewer dead children, fewer children living in fear," he said. Mr Duncan said he and US President Barack Obama would do everything they could to enact gun control policies.