Thread: Trump calls for arming teachers, raising gun purchase age to stop ‘savage sickos

7 hours ago

Trump calls for arming teachers, raising gun purchase age to stop ‘savage sicko’ shooters

By Brooke Singman | Fox News


President Trump vows to take action after school shooting

President Trump: 'I will be strongly pushing comprehensive background checks with an emphasis on mental health.'

President Trump on Thursday defended his call to arm some teachers as a way to stop a “savage sicko” from causing mass casualties, while also calling for gun control measures -- including raising the age for purchasing firearms to 21.

In a flurry of tweets, the president hit back at media coverage of his comments about arming teachers the day before. He suggested his remarks were mischaracterized, but made clear he supports allowing some trained teachers to carry concealed weapons.

“I never said ‘give teachers guns’ like was stated on Fake News @CNN & @NBC. What I said was to look at the possibility of giving ‘concealed guns to gun adept teachers with military or special training experience- only the best,” Trump tweeted.

Donald J. Trump

✔@realDonaldTrump


I never said “give teachers guns” like was stated on Fake News @CNN & @NBC. What I said was to look at the possibility of giving “concealed guns to gun adept teachers with military or special training experience - only the best. 20% of teachers, a lot, would now be able to
4:26 AM - Feb 22, 2018

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“20% of teachers, a lot, would now be able to immediately fire back if a savage sicko came to a school with bad intentions. Highly trained teachers would also serve as a deterrent to the cowards that do this. Far more assets at much less cost than guards,” Trump added. “A ‘gun free’ school is a magnet for bad people. ATTACKS WOULD END!”

Donald J. Trump

✔@realDonaldTrump


....immediately fire back if a savage sicko came to a school with bad intentions. Highly trained teachers would also serve as a deterrent to the cowards that do this. Far more assets at much less cost than guards. A “gun free” school is a magnet for bad people. ATTACKS WOULD END!
4:40 AM - Feb 22, 2018

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The president’s tweets followed a listening session at the White House Wednesday afternoon with students, parents and teachers affected by the Parkland, Fla., high school shooting last week which left 17 dead. He also invited parents affected by the Sandy Hook and Columbine massacres.

During the almost two-hour session, Trump left the floor open for suggestions to prevent school shootings. One parent floated the idea of concealed-carry for teachers—an idea the president discussed at length with support, noting the administration would look “very strongly” at the option. His Thursday morning tweets seemed to double down on his earlier comments, even as he criticized media coverage.

At the same time, Trump made clear Thursday that he will urge several new gun law restrictions -- including raising the age for purchasing firearms, something sources said he was considering.

“I will be strongly pushing Comprehensive Background Checks with an emphasis on Mental Health,” Trump tweeted Thursday. “Raise age to 21 and end sale of Bump Stocks! Congress is in a mood to finally do something on this issue—I hope!”

Donald J. Trump

✔@realDonaldTrump


I will be strongly pushing Comprehensive Background Checks with an emphasis on Mental Health. Raise age to 21 and end sale of Bump Stocks! Congress is in a mood to finally do something on this issue - I hope!
5:13 AM - Feb 22, 2018

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TRUMP ON PREVENTING MASS SHOOTINGS: 'WE'RE GOING TO GET IT DONE'

But Trump especially sought to clarify and defend his comments about guns in schools.

Trump said Wednesday that “a gun-free zone to a maniac, they’re all cowards, is 'let’s go in and attack because bullets aren’t coming at us.'”

On Thursday, he tweeted: “History shows that a school shooting lasts, on average 3 minutes. It takes police & first responders approximately 5 to 8 minutes to get to site of crime. Highly trained, gun adept, teachers/ coaches would solve the problem instantly, before police arrive. GREAT DETERRENT!”

Minutes later, Trump added: “If a potential ‘sicko shooter’ knows that a school has a large number of very weapons talented teachers (and others) who will be instantly shooting, the sicko will NEVER attack that school. Cowards won’t go there…problem solved. Must be offensive, defense alone won’t work.”

Donald J. Trump

✔@realDonaldTrump


....If a potential “sicko shooter” knows that a school has a large number of very weapons talented teachers (and others) who will be instantly shooting, the sicko will NEVER attack that school. Cowards won’t go there...problem solved. Must be offensive, defense alone won’t work!
5:05 AM - Feb 22, 2018

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Earlier this week, the president directed Attorney General Jeff Sessions to create new regulations to ban firearm modifiers, including the “bump stock” used in the Las Vegas massacre in October 2017.

Under current federal law, licensed firearm dealers cannot sell handguns to people under 21 and cannot sell long guns to people under 18, according to the Giffords Law Center, which tracks gun laws and advocates for more restrictions. Some states already impose laws with tighter minimum age requirements.

The National Rifle Association, which endorsed Trump in the 2016 presidential election, quickly rejected any talk of raising the age for buying long guns to 21.

“Legislative proposals that prevent law-abiding adults aged 18-20 years old from acquiring rifles and shotguns effectively prohibits them for purchasing any firearm, thus depriving them of their constitutional right to self-protection,” the NRA said in a statement.

It is unclear at this point, however, whether Trump will push for a change in federal law or encourage a change at the state level.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018...-shooters.html

Trump drops calls to raise guns age limit

Sheriff apologizes for accidentally leaving gun at school

by The Associated Press



In this Sept. 27, 2017 photo, Isabella County Sheriff Michael Main, right, coordinates efforts in a police manhunt in rural Isabella County, Mich. Main is apologizing for accidentally leaving his gun in a mid-Michigan school gym locker room. Main said Tuesday, March 13, 2018 he takes full responsibility and is "devastated" by his own negligence. He says he was at a weekend event at Shepherd Middle School and used the locker room to change into uniform. (Lisa Yanick Litwiller /The Morning Sun via AP)


SHEPHERD, Mich. (AP) — A county sheriff apologized Tuesday for accidentally leaving his backup gun in a Michigan school gym locker room.

Isabella County Sheriff Michael Main said his mistake is inexcusable.

"In the 20 years of law enforcement service I have never left a weapon anywhere," he said in a statement. "I have no excuse for my lack of responsibility with this matter. I have worked diligently my entire career to protect people, especially our youth. However, I have failed to do just that, and I'm devastated with my lack of accountability in this matter."

Main said he used the locker room at Shepherd Middle School to change from street clothes into uniform for an event at the weekend.

Main said he believed the gun — his backup weapon — was in his bag when he left. A student later found the gun and told an adult, according to Main.

It wasn't clear if Main, an elected official, would face disciplinary action.

Shepherd police Chief Luke Sawyer told The Associated Press Tuesday that his department is investigating the incident and that the findings will be turned over to the Isabella County prosecutor's office. Prosecutors will decide if any charges are to be filed in the case.

The Isabella County prosecutor's office said Tuesday that it also is looking into the incident, but had no further comment.

Main told the Morning Sun of Mount Pleasant that Isabella County deputies are permitted to carry guns while off-duty. He said deputies are not subject to gun-free zone requirements at schools because they are not carrying under concealed pistol license requirements.

Isabella County is 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Detroit.
The possibility of allowing guns in schools is one of the nation's most contentious issues, as lawmakers, educators, parents and students try to find ways to stem mass shootings following last month's massacre of 17 people at a Florida high school.

Suggestions include allowing teachers with firearms training to bring guns into the school.

Shepherd Public Schools Superintendent Claire Bunker told parents that the weapon was found before classes started Monday, according to the newspaper.

"He is human and he made a mistake," Bunker said of Main, adding that she is extremely proud of the student who brought the gun to the attention of a staff member. Main said he personally apologized to the student who found his gun.

http://kfoxtv.com/news/offbeat/sheri...2018-203459281

VIRGINIA
5 hours ago

Resource officer accidentally fires gun at Virginia middle school, officials say

By Nicole Darrah | Fox News


A school resource officer at George Washington Middle School in Alexandria, Virginia, accidentally fired his gun inside of the school on Tuesday while children were attending classes, officials said. (Google Earth)


A school resource officer at a Virginia middle school accidentally fired his gun inside of the school Tuesday while children were attending classes, officials said.

The officer, who was not identified, “discharged his service weapon inside his office” at George Washington Middle School in Alexandria, police said in a news release.

Anjali Hemphill

✔@AnjaliHemphill


School resource officer accidentally fires his gun inside George Washington Middle School in Alexandria, no injuries @fox5dc
8:50 AM - Mar 13, 2018

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He then checked for “potential injuries in the area” before informing staff members of the gunfire. Police said no one was hurt, and classes continued as normal.

The officer, a five-year veteran of the Alexandria Police Department, has been placed on routine administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation.

OPINION: OUR POLICE NEED BETTER TRAINING. FLORIDA SCHOOL SHOOTING FAILURES MAKE THIS MORE IMPERATIVE

Tuesday’s incident came amid a nationwide debate on the subject of arming school teachers.

Deputy Scot Peterson, of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, was stationed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, as the school’s resource officer on Feb. 14 when a gunman entered a building on campus and killed 17 people.

It was later revealed Peterson never entered the building, despite hearing gunfire.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/03/13...cials-say.html

This shows we can't depend on resource officers, alone, to protect our children. "It takes a village"!

High school teacher accidentally fires gun in classroom, injures student

Originally Posted by JohnDoe2

High school teacher accidentally fires gun in classroom, injures student

The teacher was a reserve police officer.

Originally Posted by Judy

The teacher was a reserve police officer.

I do not care if he was an ex-marine in the Reserves. I still do not agree with arming teachers in a classroom.

In the classroom...he is a "teacher" and he screwed up and almost killed a child.

Accidents are going to happen, but it was no accident that killed 14 children and 3 teachers in Parkland, Florida, 12 children and one teacher in Columbine, Colorado or the 20 children between six and seven years old and six staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Conn. That's a total of 56 people deliberately and maliciously murdered in gun free zones. I'll bet the parents, husbands, wives, etc. of those poor murdered souls wish there had been armed protectors available in those instances.

I'm sort of in the middle on this issue, but for the sake of honest discussion, both sides of the conversation need to be heard. Personally, I'd like to see one armed resource officer assigned to each school per 1,000 students. Of course in many places that may be cost prohibitive. I don't know what the best option is, but all options should be seriously considered and evaluated.

Originally Posted by Beezer

I do not care if he was an ex-marine in the Reserves. I still do not agree with arming teachers in a classroom.

In the classroom...he is a "teacher" and he screwed up and almost killed a child.

He was holding a class on gun safety.