Hundreds of Americans attended a gun show in Florida just days after a tragic mass-shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
The 500-booth expo is less than 50 miles north of the school and was well attended despite the recent attacks.
Reporters in the area said that many, in fact, attended because of the attacks, with a renewed desire to protect themselves.
The event, sponsored by Florida Gun Shows, ran through the weekend with organisers not put off by the recent tragedy.
Jorge Fernandez, a manager working the floor at the gun show, said: “We don’t want people going out to buy guns and using them to kill people.
“But we do need to realize that lawfully licensed gun owners have the right to defend themselves.”
Just 3 days after Parkland became home to one of the worst mass shootings in our history, a 600-booth gun show in Miami will offer AR-15s for sale to 18-year-olds. I’m introducing legislation to make 21 the minimum age for all firearm purchases. https://t.co/NybUcDJK4y
— Rep. Ted Deutch (@RepTedDeutch) 16 February 2018
That is a sentiment half of all Floridians agree with, according to an October research study complied by the University of South Florida in the wake of the Las Vegas and Pulse shooting massacres.
Organisers expressed their condolences on the shooting, which has reignited the national conversation on gun control legislation.
In a statement they said that there is “no disrespect or insensitivity intended by this long-planned gun show”.
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