A Virginia state senator called Second Amendment supporters “little kids” at a public meeting over the weekend as tensions between gun rights activists boil over in the state.

Sen. Dave Marsden, who supports Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, is an advocate of proposed gun control legislation and is part of the Democratic majority in the Virginia General Assembly. Instead of apologizing for the insensitive remarks, Marsden called Second Amendment supporters “mentally ill” in a letter he sent following a meeting with constituents.