Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., faced a hostile crowd Wednesday at a CNN town hall as he sparred with the father of a student who was killed in the mass shooting in Parkland, Fla., last week.
Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter Jaime was killed, confronted Rubio over his recent comments in response to the shooting that left 17 people dead.
“Your comments this week and those of our president have been pathetically weak,” Guttenberg said to loud applause. “So you and I are now eye to eye. Because I want to like you. Look at me and tell me, ‘Guns were the factor in the hunting of our kids in this school this week.’ And look at me and tell me you accept it and you will work with us to do something about guns.”
Rubio said “of course” guns were a factor and then said he would support raising the minimum age requirement to purchase firearms, the ban of bump stocks, and a change in background checks.
“I absolutely believe that in this country, if you are 18 years of age you should not be able to buy a rifle. I will support a law that takes that right away,” Rubio said to cheers.
But the crowd soured on Rubio when he said that a ban on assault weapons would not have prevented last week’s mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
“If I believed that that law would have prevented this from happening, I would support it,” Rubio said as the crowd booed. “I want to explain why it would not.”
As Rubio continued to explain his position, CNN host Jake Tapper, who was moderating the town hall, had to ask the audience to be quiet.
“The senator has a right to be heard,” Tapper said.
