After the deadly shooting at a Florida school, U.S. students decided to confront lawmakers with demands to restrict sales of assault rifles. At the same time, President Donald Trump suggested arming teachers as a way to stop future rampages.
The unprecedented lobbying effort by groups of teenagers and parents at the White House and at the Florida statehouse in Tallahassee played out as fellow students staged classroom walkouts and rallies in cities across the country, Reuters reported.
Meanwhile, the president had a meeting with students who survived the shooting and a parent whose child did not survive. Trump stated that arming teachers and other school staff could help prevent future mass shootings. That way, he supported the idea backed by the powerful National Rifle Association gun lobby. The president added that he would move quickly to tighten background checks for gun buyers and would consider raising the age for buying some types of guns.
Trump spoke about how armed teachers and security guards could frighten off potential shooters.
“If you had a teacher who was adept by firearms, they could very well end the attack very quickly,” Trump said, acknowledging that the proposal was controversial.
The mass shooting that happened last week in Florida revived old debates over gun rights in the United States. Seventeen students and educators lost their lives in the assault that was carried out by 19-year-old former student Nikolas Cruz. According to investigators, Cruz bought the AR-15 style weapon nearly a year ago.
“Nikolas Cruz was able to purchase an assault rifle before he was able to buy a beer. The laws of the country have failed,” said student Laurenzo Prado, referring to a Florida law that allows people as young as 18 to buy assault weapons.
Lawmakers in Tallahassee said they would consider raising the age limit to 21, but the Senate decided not to take up gun control measure, Reuters reminds. Students in Tallahassee demanded that lawmakers restrict sales of assault rifles.
Be the first to comment