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Trump endorses guns for teachers to stop shootings Trump endorses guns for teachers to stop shootings
(about 1 hour later)
US President Donald Trump has expressed support for arming teachers and ending gun-free zones near schools at a White House event on gun violence. US President Donald Trump has said arming teachers could prevent school shootings like that which left 17 people dead last week in Florida.
An armed teacher could end an attack "very quickly", he said. A staff member with a gun could end an attack "very quickly", he said.
Mr Trump floated the proposals as survivors of last week's Florida school shooting implored him to make sure it never happens again. Mr Trump floated the proposal as emotional survivors of the 14 February massacre implored him to make sure it never happens again.
The Republican president also backed calls for improved background checks for gun buyers. The Republican president also backed calls for improved background checks on gun buyers.
Other survivors meanwhile lobbied Florida lawmakers on gun control.Other survivors meanwhile lobbied Florida lawmakers on gun control.
"We'll be very strong on background checks, very strong emphasis on the mental health of somebody," Mr Trump told the students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School at Wednesday's televised event at the White House. "We'll be very strong on background checks, very strong emphasis on the mental health of somebody," Mr Trump told the students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School during Wednesday's televised event at the White House.
"It's not going to be talk like it's been in the past," he added. "It's been going on too long, too many instances, we're going to get it done." "It's not going to be talk like it's been in the past," he added.
The US president also endorsed proposals that have long been backed by the National Rifle Association (NRA), a powerful gun lobby group. The US president also endorsed a proposal that has long been backed by the National Rifle Association (NRA), a powerful gun lobby group.
He pledged to look "very strongly" at calls for teachers and other staff to be armed with guns. He pledged to look "very strongly" at calls for educators to be armed with guns.
"If you had a teacher who was adept at firearms," he said, "they could very well end the attack very quickly." Mr Trump acknowledged that plans to arm teachers were controversial. "If you had a teacher who was adept at firearms," he said, "they could very well end the attack very quickly."
He also criticised gun-free zones in schools. "Where a teacher would have a concealed gun on them," he said, while acknowledging the plan was controversial, "they would go for special training and they would be there, and you would no longer have a gun-free zone.
"A gun-free zone to a maniac - because they're all cowards - is, 'let's go in, and attack'," said the president. "A gun-free zone, to a maniac, because they are all cowards, a gun-free zone is, 'let's go in and let's attack.'"
Mr Trump listened to emotional pleas for change from about 40 students, teachers and families during the session in the executive mansion's state dining room. Mr Trump denied during the 2016 election campaign that he was in favour of guns in classrooms.
Andrew Pollack, whose daughter, Meadow, was among the 17 killed in the Valentine's Day attack in Parkland - the second-deadliest shooting at a US public school - vented his anger. 'I'm pissed!'
"We're here because my daughter has no voice," said Mr Pollack. The US president listened to pleas for change on Wednesday from about 40 students, teachers and families during the session in the executive mansion's state dining room.
"She was murdered last week and she was taken from us - shot nine times on the third floor. We, as a country, failed our children." Some of those at the hour-long event voiced support for Mr Trump's idea of arming teachers.
But Mark Barden - whose son Daniel was killed in the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut - said more guns was not the answer:
"Schoolteachers have more than enough responsibilities right now, than to have to have the awesome responsibility of lethal force to take a life," he said.
"Nobody wants to see a shoot-out in a school."
Andrew Pollack, whose daughter, Meadow, died in last week's attack - the second-deadliest shooting at a US public school - said: "We, as a country, failed our children."
"I'm pissed!" he added."I'm pissed!" he added.
Hundreds of teenagers from the Washington DC suburbs rallied outside the White House before Mr Trump's meeting.Hundreds of teenagers from the Washington DC suburbs rallied outside the White House before Mr Trump's meeting.
Meanwhile, survivors of the shooting poured into the Florida state capital, Tallahassee, to demand lawmakers restrict sales of assault rifles. Meanwhile, survivors of the shooting poured into the Florida state capital to demand lawmakers restrict sales of assault rifles.
"We want gun reform. We want common sense gun laws," said Delaney Tarr in Tallahassee.
It was the first organised protest of the youth-led anti-gun movement that has swept the US since the attack in Parkland, Florida.
Other students across the US - including in Chicago, Illinois; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Phoenix, Arizona - walked out of classes in solidarity.Other students across the US - including in Chicago, Illinois; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Phoenix, Arizona - walked out of classes in solidarity.
Some lawmakers in Florida's state legislature said they would consider raising the minimum age to buy assault rifles - like the one police say was used in last week's massacre - from 18 to 21.
However, the legislators rejected a proposal on Tuesday to even debate banning such weapons.
Mr Trump's listening session came a day after he directed his administration to take steps to ban gun "bump stocks".Mr Trump's listening session came a day after he directed his administration to take steps to ban gun "bump stocks".
The accessories - which enable a rifle to shoot hundreds of rounds a minute - were used by a gunman who killed 58 concert-goers in Las Vegas last October.The accessories - which enable a rifle to shoot hundreds of rounds a minute - were used by a gunman who killed 58 concert-goers in Las Vegas last October.
That was the deadliest attack by a lone gunman in US history.That was the deadliest attack by a lone gunman in US history.
The NRA opposes a total ban on bump stocks, but has said it is open to restrictions on the devices. The NRA - which contributed an estimated $30m (£21m) to help elect Mr Trump - opposes a total ban on bump stocks.