The head of the National Rifle Association, responding Sunday to renewed calls for gun control in the wake of last week’s killing spree at the Washington Navy Yard, called for beefed-up security at American military bases.
The NRA’s Wayne LaPierre, appearing on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” said gun control advocates were looking to exploit the shooting that left 13 dead, including the gunman.
“All the outrage this week — the first two days of the elite media and the politicians trying to stir this toward firearms — the outrage ought to be placed on an unprotected naval base,” Mr. LaPierre said.
He also called for changes to federal rules that require active duty personnel on military bases such as the Navy Yard to be unarmed.
“All these brave men and women that are trained in firearms, that signed up to serve in the military, they’re largely disarmed on our military bases,” he said. “We need to look at letting the men and women that know firearms and are trained in it do what they do best, which is protect and survive.”
• David Eldridge can be reached at deldridge@washingtontimes.com.
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