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| Dick's Sporting Goods pulls assault-style rifles as Florida students return | Dick's Sporting Goods pulls assault-style rifles as Florida students return |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| As students at the Florida school where 17 people were recently killed returned to classes, a major gun retailer has announced it will completely stop selling the kind of weapon used in the attack. | As students at the Florida school where 17 people were recently killed returned to classes, a major gun retailer has announced it will completely stop selling the kind of weapon used in the attack. |
| Dick's Sporting Goods, which has more than 600 shops, said it would no longer sell assault-style rifles, and backed "common sense gun reform". | Dick's Sporting Goods, which has more than 600 shops, said it would no longer sell assault-style rifles, and backed "common sense gun reform". |
| The move came as pupils and teachers made an emotional return to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. | The move came as pupils and teachers made an emotional return to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. |
| Grief counsellors were on hand. | Grief counsellors were on hand. |
| In the aftermath of the 14 February shooting, pressure has mounted on US politicians to act on gun control and for corporations to cut ties with the powerful National Rifle Association (NRA). | In the aftermath of the 14 February shooting, pressure has mounted on US politicians to act on gun control and for corporations to cut ties with the powerful National Rifle Association (NRA). |
| Firms including Hertz car rental, United airlines and Delta airlines have ended discounts to NRA members. | Firms including Hertz car rental, United airlines and Delta airlines have ended discounts to NRA members. |
| Dick's Sporting Goods announcement also came as Florida lawmakers proposed a package of gun control measures, including a controversial bill to arm school staff, including teachers. | Dick's Sporting Goods announcement also came as Florida lawmakers proposed a package of gun control measures, including a controversial bill to arm school staff, including teachers. |
| "We have tremendous respect and admiration for the students organising and making their voices heard regarding gun violence in schools and elsewhere in our country," Dick's Sporting Goods said in a statement. "We have heard you. The nation has heard you." | "We have tremendous respect and admiration for the students organising and making their voices heard regarding gun violence in schools and elsewhere in our country," Dick's Sporting Goods said in a statement. "We have heard you. The nation has heard you." |
| The retailer said it was committing itself to: | The retailer said it was committing itself to: |
| It said that while it supported the Second Amendment to the US Constitution, which protects the right to keep and bear arms, "gun violence is an epidemic that's taking the lives of too many people". | It said that while it supported the Second Amendment to the US Constitution, which protects the right to keep and bear arms, "gun violence is an epidemic that's taking the lives of too many people". |
| Emotional return | Emotional return |
| At Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, a line of police officers, school staff and community members bearing flowers greeted some 3,000 students who returned to classes. | At Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, a line of police officers, school staff and community members bearing flowers greeted some 3,000 students who returned to classes. |
| "I'm not scared," 16-year-old Sean Cummings told the AFP news agency. "It's just weird to come back after everything that has happened." | "I'm not scared," 16-year-old Sean Cummings told the AFP news agency. "It's just weird to come back after everything that has happened." |
| Ernest Rospierski, a teacher at Marjory Stoneman Douglas, earlier told the BBC: "Usually, I always greet the kids at the door." | Ernest Rospierski, a teacher at Marjory Stoneman Douglas, earlier told the BBC: "Usually, I always greet the kids at the door." |
| But this time he said he was going to tell them "how much it makes me legitimately excited to have them back in the room and to have the ability to be in front of them again". | But this time he said he was going to tell them "how much it makes me legitimately excited to have them back in the room and to have the ability to be in front of them again". |
| The school's Building 12, the site of the shootings, will remain closed and cordoned off indefinitely. | The school's Building 12, the site of the shootings, will remain closed and cordoned off indefinitely. |
| There will only be a half day of classes, but the focus for students will be on reconnecting with friends and teachers, and sharing their feelings. | There will only be a half day of classes, but the focus for students will be on reconnecting with friends and teachers, and sharing their feelings. |
| Armed school 'marshals' | |
| Members of Florida's State House and Senate will soon begin reviewing proposed bills related to firearms, which need their approval and also that of Governor Rick Scott. | Members of Florida's State House and Senate will soon begin reviewing proposed bills related to firearms, which need their approval and also that of Governor Rick Scott. |
| They envisage raising the legal age to buy rifles from 18 to 21 and giving police more control to seize weapons from mentally ill people. | They envisage raising the legal age to buy rifles from 18 to 21 and giving police more control to seize weapons from mentally ill people. |
| A controversial $67m voluntary programme to arm school staff, including teachers, would ensure they were trained by law enforcement and allowed to carry concealed weapons on campus, according to the New York Times. | A controversial $67m voluntary programme to arm school staff, including teachers, would ensure they were trained by law enforcement and allowed to carry concealed weapons on campus, according to the New York Times. |
| Lawmakers had already given an initial green light to what has become known as the "marshal programme", despite protests by many parents of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students. | Lawmakers had already given an initial green light to what has become known as the "marshal programme", despite protests by many parents of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students. |
| They argued that educators should not have to take on the role of the police. A similar programme already exists in Polk County, in central Florida. | They argued that educators should not have to take on the role of the police. A similar programme already exists in Polk County, in central Florida. |
| Governor Scott has previously said he opposes "arming teachers". | Governor Scott has previously said he opposes "arming teachers". |
| In addition to proposing a rise in the minimum legal age to buy all rifles, legislators from the budget committees from the House and Senate want to impose a three-day waiting period for any gun purchases. Handgun buyers must already be at least 21 and wait for three days. | In addition to proposing a rise in the minimum legal age to buy all rifles, legislators from the budget committees from the House and Senate want to impose a three-day waiting period for any gun purchases. Handgun buyers must already be at least 21 and wait for three days. |
| Legislators also want to outlaw the sale of bump stocks - a piece of plastic or metal that allows semi-automatic rifles to fire dozens of rounds in seconds, like a machine-gun. | Legislators also want to outlaw the sale of bump stocks - a piece of plastic or metal that allows semi-automatic rifles to fire dozens of rounds in seconds, like a machine-gun. |
| More police would be assigned as school resource officers and law enforcement could confiscate weapons from people with mental health problems. | More police would be assigned as school resource officers and law enforcement could confiscate weapons from people with mental health problems. |
| "The reality is, we should have acted this comprehensively long ago," Senator Bill Galvano, the sponsor of the Senate reform package, told the Miami Herald. | "The reality is, we should have acted this comprehensively long ago," Senator Bill Galvano, the sponsor of the Senate reform package, told the Miami Herald. |