National Rifle Association spokeswoman Dana Loesch slammed the media and the Broward Sheriff’s Office on Sunday, saying she wishes more attention was being paid to law enforcement’s failure to follow up on red flags about the suspected gunman in last week’s shooting at a Parkland, Fla., high school.
“I wish that as much attention were given to the Broward County sheriff and their abdication of duty as trying to blame 5 million innocent, law-abiding gun owners all across the country,” Loesch said during an interview on ABC’s “This Week.”
The Broward County Sheriff’s Office, led by Sheriff Scott Israel, has been the subject of intense scrutiny following the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
Israel revealed Thursday a school resource officer, armed and in uniform, on the scene of the shooting did “nothing” after responding to the gunfire, and never went inside the building. It was also reported there were several other sheriff’s deputies who responded to the shooting, but didn’t enter the high school.
The sheriff’s office received multiple warnings about Nikolas Cruz, the gunman in last week’s shooting, but never investigated the reports.
Seventeen people were killed and several were injured in the Feb. 14 shooting. The incident has reignited calls for stricter gun laws, and President Trump has already announced support for several proposals.
One, to raise the minimum age to purchase semi-automatic rifles to 21, puts him at odds with the NRA.
Loesch reiterated Sunday the group and its members are opposed to raising the minimum purchasing age for firearms, but stressed none of the measures Trump has raised have been proposed yet.
“People are trying to find daylight between President Trump and 5 million law-abiding gun owners, and law-abiding gun owners all across the United States. These are just things that he’s discussing right now,” she said.
Trump has also raised the possibility of arming some teachers and staff who receive firearm training, though the proposal has received pushback.
Loesch said Sunday the decision to allow teachers to carry concealed firearms should be made by the schools.
“If parents and teachers voluntarily choose to be armed, I think that’s something schools will have to come up with and determine for themselves,” she said.
