Sheriff Scott Israel to NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch: "You just told this group of people that you are standing up for them. You're not standing up for them until you say, 'I want less weapons.'" pic.twitter.com/JEDN5K7DcU
— Axios (@axios) February 22, 2018
Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel on Wednesday night confronted a National Rifle Association (NRA) spokeswoman, telling her she is not standing up for the victims of a school shooting in Florida.
“I understand you’re standing up for the NRA and I understand that’s what you’re supposed to do,” Israel told NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch at a CNN town hall event held in response to last week’s Florida high school shooting.
“But you just told this group of people that you are standing up for them. You are not standing up for them until you say, ‘I want less weapons,’” Israel said, prompting a standing ovation.
{mosads}Israel called for legislation to reduce gun violence, including banning bump stocks and automatic rifles.
He added that schools should be built differently to make them harder to penetrate to prevent future school shootings.
Students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., have spoken out in recent days after a gunman opened fire in their school on Feb. 14. The students have called on lawmakers to enact legislation that would curb gun violence and prevent school shootings.
During Wednesday night’s town hall event, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said he would support raising the age requirement to purchase a rifle, something that has received support from other lawmakers. The NRA however, has opposed any new age requirements, saying it would infringe on the rights of law-abiding citizens.
Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), meanwhile, said he would introduce legislation next week to ban all assault weapons.