Wednesday’s mass shooting at a Florida high school has reignited the debate over gun laws. While the assault rifle used by the suspected gunman was legally purchased and required a five-day waiting period, some want to see future sales of the weapon halted.
Crowds chanted “no more guns” at a vigil Friday night honoring the victims of the shooting. Glenn and Angela Goad were there.
Their 14-year-old daughter goes to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where Wednesday’s attack unfolded.
“I think there is absolutely zero need for an assault rifle in this country,” Angela said.
The registered Republicans said the shooting has changed their view on guns. They want assault rifles banned and more security and mental health funding for schools.
“I have friends who are avid hunters and gunmen and friends who probably never owned a gun like me. But I think for me personally it’s time to take a position,” Glenn said. “I’m embarrassed as a father and as an American that it took this event to make me have emotion about this because the children of Sandy Hook were just as important as the children in Parkland.”
He said he never wants to feel the despair he felt Wednesday.
“It was, ‘please don’t let me lose this child,’ … and today, 17 families don’t get to say that.”
The couple told CBS News their neighbors are now holding meetings to discuss ways to bring change.
Moti Adika’s gun store is a mile from the school where the shooter killed 17 people with an AR-15. But he says the gun isn’t the problem.
“They call them assault rifles. They don’t call a truck an assault truck when someone runs over a whole bunch of people on the West Side Highway … Try to ban all trucks,” he told CBS News’ Adriana Diaz.
Adika described the process of purchasing an assault rifle from his store. He said it could take as little as 15 minutes for a law-abiding citizen with a concealed weapons permit to walk out of his store with an assault weapon.
“You could fill this form out, we put your information. … If you are a law-abiding citizen, you’re not a criminal, then we can sell you that gun,” he said. “The whole process can take no more than 15 minutes … if you have a concealed license.”
A measure Moti Adika’s store has taken from day one is to only sell guns to people 21 and older.
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