Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY
P. 4
A4 U.S. NEWS
Friday 23 February 2018
Florida students not backing off push for gun regulations
Continued from Front Israel said he made the de-
Rubio, a Republican, in- cision after reviewing video
sisted that he is willing to surveillance and interview-
rethink his past opposition ing witnesses, including the
on gun proposals if there deputy himself. The sheriff
is information the policies says Peterson responded
would prevent mass shoot- to the building where the
ings. shooting took place, took
"If we are going to infringe up a position outside a
on the Second Amend- door and never went in.
ment, it has to be a policy When asked what Peter-
that will work," Rubio said in son should have done, Is-
an interview Thursday with rael said the deputy should
The Associated Press. have "went in, addressed
State Sen. Bill Galvano, the killer, killed the killer."
who is helping craft a bill "What matters is that, when
in response to the shooting we in law enforcement ar-
deaths, said an idea gain- rive at an active shooter,
ing traction is a program we go in and address the
that would allow local sher- target. And that's what
iffs to deputize someone at should have been done,"
a school to carry a gun on he said.
campus. High school students Mia Arrington, center, 18, of West End, and Cheyenne Springette, right, 17, A day after an emotional
Galvano insisted the idea of Mt. Oliver, lead chants as they march down Liberty Avenue during a walk-out in solidarity with meeting with survivors and
is not the same as arming other high schools across the country to show support for Parkland, Fla, students on Wednesday, their families, Trump tweet-
teachers. He said the pro- Feb. 21, 2018, in downtown Pittsburgh. ed his strongest stance yet
(Stephanie Strasburg/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP)
on gun control. He said he
gram would be optional would endorse strengthen-
and the deputized person ing background checks,
would have to be trained banning "bump stock" style
by local law-enforcement devices and raising the
agencies. minimum age to 21 for buy-
Florida Senate President ing certain rifles.
Joe Negron said both At a conference of con-
chambers are working on servative activists Thursday
the legislation in response near Washington, Vice
to the Parkland shootings. President Mike Pence said
He said a final draft should the administration would
be available "early next make school safety "our
week at the latest." top national priority" after
What won't be considered the shooting at the school
is a ban on assault-style in Parkland, Florida.
rifles. Calling school shootings
That falls short of reform de- "evil in our time," Pence ex-
manded by students who horted those in positions of
converged on Florida's authority "to find a way to
Capitol to take their con- come together with Ameri-
cerns to state lawmakers can solutions."
Wednesday. Outside the It was a markedly different
building, many protesters tone than that deployed
complained that lawmak- on stage minutes ear-
ers were not serious about lier by NRA Executive Vice
gun control and said that in President and CEO Wayne
future elections they would LaPierre, who delivered an
oppose any legislator who unbowed defense of gun
accepts campaign contri- ownership and lashed out
butions from the National at Democrats — saying
Rifle Association. they are using the tragedy
Broward County Sheriff for "political gain."
Scott Israel announced at "They hate the NRA. They
a Thursday news confer- hate the Second Amend-
ence that the deputy on ment. They hate individual
duty at the high school freedom," LaPierre said.
when 17 people were mas- As the 50th anniversary of
sacred waited outside the her father's assassination
building for about four min- approaches, the daughter
utes without ever going in. of civil rights icon Dr. Martin
The shooting lasted about Luther King Jr. said limiting
six minutes. gun access is long over-
Deputy Scot Peterson re- due. Speaking at The King
signed after Israel suspend- Center in Atlanta, the Rev.
ed him without pay. q
