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U.S. NEWS Saturday 24 February 2018

After school shooting, Florida leaders propose new gun laws

By GARY FINEOUT ery 1,000 students at larger attack while a gunman was las Cruz, added to what would create a "violent
CURT ANDERSON schools — by the time the shooting people inside, offi- the Florida House speaker threat restraining order"
Associated Press fall 2018 school year be- cials said. called an "abject break- that would let a court pro-
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — gins. That failure, plus reports of down at all levels." Cruz is hibit a violent or mentally ill
Nine days after the Florida person from purchasing or
school shooting, Gov. Rick possessing a firearm or any
Scott and Republican leg- other weapon under cer-
islators announced school tain circumstances.
safety and gun restriction The proposal would also
proposals that would ban strengthen gun purchase
the sale of firearms to any- and possession restrictions
one under 21, but they dif- for mentally ill people un-
fered on whether some der the state’s Baker Act,
teachers should carry guns. which allows someone to
The action came Friday as be involuntarily hospitalized
teachers returned for the for up to 72 hours. Scott is
first time to Marjory Stone- seeking $50 million for men-
man Douglas High School tal health initiatives that
since the Valentine's Day include expanding mental
shooting that killed 17 peo- health services by provid-
ple. The Broward County ing counseling, crisis man-
school superintendent said agement and other mental
he is adamantly opposed health services for youth
to teachers having guns. and young adults.
But President Donald Trump “No one with mental issues
repeated in several ap- should have access to a
pearances Friday that he gun. It is common sense. It
favors the idea. Florida Governor Rick Scott lays out his school safety proposal during a press conference at the for their own best interest,
Scott, a Republican widely Florida Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla., Friday, Feb 23, 2018. Scott proposed banning the sale of fire- much less the best interest
expected to run for the arms to anyone younger than 21 as part of a plan to prevent gun violence. of our communities,” Scott
Senate, outlined his plan at (AP Photo/Mark Wallheiser) said. It won’t be happen-
a Tallahassee news confer- ing again.
ence. In addition to ban- Stoneman Douglas High a delay in security cam- jailed on 17 counts of mur- Broward teachers union
ning firearm sales to any- School in Parkland, which era footage scanned by der and has confessed to president Anna Fusco met
one under 21, the governor has more than 3,000 stu- responding police and the shootings, investigators with the teachers as they
called for a trained law en- dents, had one armed re- several records about the say. returned to campus Friday
forcement officer for every source officer, who never troubled background of Among other things, the hailing them as “incredibly
school — and one for ev- entered the building under 19-year-old suspect Niko- governor's $500 million plan brave and strong.”q

Trump calls for arming many teachers, more guards at schools

By KEN THOMAS themes during wide-rang- Scot Peterson "didn't have done. We want to see if we "broken our hearts."
JILL COLVIN ing remarks to the Conser- the courage or something can get it done. Let's get it Trump argued that his ad-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- vative Political Action Con- happened." done right, we really owe it ministration has kept his
dent Donald Trump told ference. He urged activists Long supported by the to our country." He added, campaign promises, boast-
conservatives that even to help Republicans in the National Rifle Association, "most of it's just common ing as he often does that
Second Amendment sup- fall midterm elections and the president has sought sense. It's not 'do you love he “had the most success-
porters can get behind heed his recent calls to ad- to maintain his backing guns, do you hate guns.' It's ful first year in the history of
steps to fight gun violence, dress gun violence. among gun rights activists common sense." the presidency.” And he
offering a red-meat call Trump questioned the in- even as he has called for Trump's speech at CPAC re-aired rhetoric from his
for arming teachers Friday action of an armed officer strengthening background came at the end of a week 2016 campaign, citing a
while avoiding mention of who failed to stop the gun- checks and raising the min- that included meetings “very crooked media, we
other elements of his ap- man who carried out last imum age for purchasing with students and teachers had a crooked candidate,
proach opposed by the week's Florida massacre. semi-automatic rifles in the and state and local officials too, by the way,” referenc-
National Rifle Association. Departing the White House wake of the mass killing. on ways to bolster school ing former Democratic rival
Basking in the glow of a for CPAC, Trump told re- Trump said that past efforts safety and address gun Hillary Clinton. The crowd
cheering crowd, Trump porters that "when it came to address school safety violence. He said the "evil chanted, “lock her up,” a
also offered a greatest- time to get in there and do and gun violence had fad- massacre" of 17 people at common refrain at Trump
hits recap of his campaign something," Florida deputy ed and "nothing ever gets the Florida high school had campaign rallies.q