Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Politics
Jeremy B White

Florida shooting survivor says he will not return to school until a new gun control law passes

A student survivor of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School has vowed to not return to school until a new gun control measure passes.

 “I’m not going back to school on Wednesday until one bill is passed,” David Hogg said at a rally in New Jersey, according to the New York Daily News.

“Literally any legislation at this point would be a success,” Mr Hogg added.

In the aftermath of the shooting in Parkland, Florida, which left 17 students and teachers dead, Mr Hogg and a group of fellow students have become highly vocal and visible advocates for tougher gun laws.

Florida Governor Rick Scott and the state legislature’s Republican leadership have backed an array of measures that include raising the age for buying all types of guns to 21 and empowering courts to bar people from owning guns if they are deemed to pose a threat.

Mr Scott has also advocated posting armed law enforcement officers in every school as a way to deter would-be shooters. The Republican governor last week lent urgency to the legislative push, saying he was determined to pass new laws before the legislative session expires.

“We must get this done in the next two weeks”, Mr Scott said.

Donald Trump has responded to the shooting by advocating arming some teachers - an idea Mr Scott, among others, has rejected - and moving to ban devices known as bump stocks that harness recoil to allow more rapid firing.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.