Florida newspaper apologizes after placing gun ad near stories on gun violence

The Sun Sentinel newspaper of Broward County, Fla., on Wednesday apologized for placing a gun ad on the front page, prompting criticism from the father of a Parkland school shooting victim.

Sun Sentinel publisher Nancy Meyer said in a statement that individuals at the paper “deeply regret” the placement of the ad.

{mosads}“It is against our policy to run gun and other types of controversial advertising on our front page,” Meyer continued. “We understand how the juxtaposition of certain ads and news stories can appear extremely insensitive, and we failed to prevent such a juxtaposition today.”

Meyer said the newspaper has also temporarily banned ads for guns.

“We are taking steps to ensure this does not happen again, and the Sun Sentinel now has a moratorium on gun advertising,” Meyer said.

The paper issued the statement after Fred Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter, Jamie, was among the 17 people killed in the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, criticized the placement of the gun ad on the paper’s front page.

Fred Guttenberg called out the newspaper for placing an ad for a $1 off admission coupon to the Fort Lauderdale Gun Show near stories about victims of gun violence. 

“Looks like the Sun Sentinel editor on this page failed,” he tweeted. “A story on the victims of gun violence and they put a gun coupon on the page. WTF!!!”

Looks like the Sun Sentinel editor on this page failed. A story on the victims of gun violence and they put a gun coupon on the page. WTF!!! pic.twitter.com/JTEfnTo3s7

— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) May 2, 2018

The front page also featured several stories about the Parkland school shooting, including one about $8.2 million in donations for those on campus during the shooting.

The main photo honors Alyssa Alhadeff, another Parkland victim, who would have turned 15 on Tuesday.