U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez and Essex County law enforcement officials held a demonstration Monday showcasing the power of the AR-15 rifle.

This was the type of firearm the alleged Stoneman-Douglas school shooter used to kill 17 people in Florida last month. Lawmakers across the country have been calling for greater regulations or a ban on the weapon due to its power and the speed in which it can be fired.

Sen. Menendez says that he fully supports banning weapons of this caliber for civilian use.

“I don’t believe that this is what you need to go hunting. I don’t believe that this is what you need to defend yourself,” Menendez said. “The only thing this does is kill as many people as possible in as short a time as possible.”

Menendez says that he has long supported common sense gun safety legislation and that he will continue to push Congress to act so future tragedies can be prevented.