Trump backs improved checks on US gun buys
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump signaled support on Monday for improving background gun checks amid mounting pressure for reform in the wake of the Florida school shooting, as the accused gunman appeared in court.
Nikolas Cruz, charged with killing 17 people, sat silently with his head bowed during a procedural hearing in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in what is expected to be a lengthy prosecution.
The suspect, whose mother died in November, was investigated by authorities after videos surfaced on the social media platform Snapchat showing him cutting himself, the assessment by the Department of Children and Families said.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has acknowledged it failed to act on a tip called in last month warning that Cruz possessed a gun and the desire to kill.
Wednesday’s rampage at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida has ignited protests by students who survived the onslaught and renewed calls for changes in US gun laws.
Cruz, 19, was able to legally buy an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle despite numerous red flags that nonetheless failed to prompt action by state and federal agencies.
In fact, Cruz bought seven rifles and had access to another three, according to several US media outlets, quoting law enforcement sources.
The White House indicated that Trump is receptive to a bipartisan proposal that would require more prompt reporting to a national database of offenses that would bar an individual from buying a firearm.
“While discussions are ongoing and revisions are being considered, the president is supportive of efforts to improve the federal background check system,” White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement.
The legislation, however, does not address the broader, divisive issue of permissive gun laws under the Second Amendment of the US Constitution, which protects the right to bear arms.
About 100 students from area high schools gathered outside the White House and staged a “lie-in” to press demands for change.
Maya Smith, 15, said she fears for her life when she walks into school “because the government won’t decide that my life matters as much as the right to bear arms matters”.
“Students should be worrying about a bad test grade, not the fact that someone could walk in with an AR-15 any time during the school day,” said high school junior Juneau Wang.