A Republican politician who represents the Nashville district the place six individuals have been killed in a college taking pictures has defended a controversial picture of him and his household brandishing assault rifles.
Pro-gun congressman Andy Ogles is pictured together with his spouse, daughter and two sons in entrance of their Christmas tree. The solely particular person not posing with a firearm is his youngest little one.
Representative Ogles, who has confronted criticism from gun management supporters and Democrats over the 2021 image, has since deleted it from his Facebook account.
When requested by Sky’s US correspondent James Matthews if he regretted the social media submit, the congressman replied: “Why would I regret a photograph with my family exercising my rights to bear arms?”
He then refused to clarify why he had eliminated the picture from Facebook since the Nashville taking pictures, however not after earlier faculty assaults.
On his web site, Mr Ogles states: “The rights of the people to keep and bear arms, protect themselves and their families, and prevent tyrannical rule is a fundamental liberty of our constitutional republic.”
After Monday’s taking pictures by Audrey Hale on the Covenant School, Mr Ogles launched an announcement saying stated he was “devastated” by the assault which killed three youngsters and three adults.
“We are sending our thoughts and prayers to the families of those lost,” Mr Ogles stated. “As a father of three, I am utterly heartbroken by this senseless act of violence.”
But gun management advocates then dug into his social media historical past, highlighting the festive submit of his household displaying heavy weaponry.
The caption on the submit learn: “The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference – they deserve a place of honour with all that’s good.”
Highlighting the identical picture, Democrat consultant Veronica Escobar tweeted: “How much more bloodshed will it take?”
“It’s. The. Guns,” she added.
Fred Guttenberg, a gun management supporter whose 14-year-old little one was killed within the 2018 Parkland faculty taking pictures in Florida, additionally hit out at Mr Ogles.
“The tragedy of the latest mass shooting is listening to Tennessee politicians who refuse to call it a shooting but who engaged in behaviour that caused this to be more likely when they glorify guns,” Mr Guttenberg tweeted.
Read extra:
What we learn about killer Audrey Hale
Video of Nashville faculty killer getting into constructing
Why Nashville tragedy might have been even worse
When requested whether or not there ought to be any congressional motion within the wake of the mass taking pictures, Mr Ogles stated: “We don’t want to jump to any conclusions. There’s still a lot more information about this case that hasn’t been let out to the public.”
“Ultimately I think what this does is highlight some of the mental health issues, the mental health crisis we have in this country that needs to be the real conversation we’re having right now,” he added.
Monday’s assault was stopped when the attacker, Audrey Hale, was shot lifeless by officers. Bodycam footage of that second has been launched by police.
Source: information.sky.com”