RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Less than two hours after beginning a special session called in response to a mass shooting, Virginia lawmakers abruptly adjourned Tuesday without taking any action and postponed any movement on gun control until after the November election.

The session on gun violence called by Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam got off to a chaotic start, with the Republican Senate majority leader averting a mutiny in the GOP caucus by publicly disavowing a gun-control bill he had proposed only the day before.

Lawmakers were summoned to the Capitol to consider a package of eight gun-control measures proposed by Northam, who has called for “votes and laws, not thoughts and prayers” in response to the killing of a dozen people by a city worker in Virginia Beach in late May.

House Speaker Kirk Cox said the session was premature because the shooting is still being investigated.

Immediately after the session adjourned, Gov. Northam issued the following statement:

“I called legislators back to Richmond for this special session so we could take immediate action to address the gun violence emergency that takes more than a thousand Virginians’ lives each year. I expected lawmakers to take this seriously. I expected them to do what their constituents elected them to do—discuss issues and take votes.

“An average of three Virginians die each day due to gun violence. That means hundreds of Virginians may die between today and November 18, the next day the legislature plans to work.

“It is shameful and disappointing that Republicans in the General Assembly refuse to do their jobs, and take immediate action to save lives. I expected better of them. Virginians expect better of them.”