SARASOTA, Fla. (WSVN) — In the wake of Friday’s deadly shooting at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, a Florida lawmaker said more guns are the answer.
The politician from Sarasota told CNN, he thinks responsible gun owners with a conceal-carry permit should be allowed to tote guns in places where they’re not currently allowed.
State Senator Greg Steube is working on a bill to allow guns in airports. He said legally owned and concealed guns are needed now more than ever. “What my bill does is allow for people that have a conceal carry permit in the state of Florida to on the non-secure side of that airport, which is where the shooting occurred, to carry their firearm just like they carry in other parts of our state,” he said.
Steube believes law-abiding firearm carriers could be better protected and even stop somebody from committing mass murder. “The Pulse nightclub, where other shootings have occurred have been in gun-free zones,” he said. “In that airport, no conceal permit carry holder was legally able to carry at that airport because currently they’re restricted from carrying.”
When asked if he thought the tragedy could have been minimized had people in that area of the airport had guns with them, Steube said, “Certainly could have. I as a conceal carry holder have the right to defend myself.”
The Senator, however, never addressed the chaos, confusion and fear that came well after the terminal shooting at the airport in Fort Lauderdale. “No licensed, conceal carry permit holder legally could carry in that airport, and that didn’t stop an individual from coming and shooting and killing individuals,” he said. “So why would repealing that, giving law abiding citizens like myself and others, who have the training and ability to protect themselves, why wouldn’t we want to give them that ability just like we have in any other places in our state.”
Senator Steube also wants to change Florida law to repeal gun-free zones on college campuses.
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