News Roundup 2/28/18

Photo Courtesy: SF Gate

Photo Courtesy: SF Gate

By: Joshua Gutierrez

1) Parkland Students Return for Their First Day Back at School

Students of Majory Stoneman Douglas returned to school Wednesday since the massacre that took place two weeks ago. Students were welcomed back by hundreds of law enforcement officers who came out to show support and tried to offer students a sense of security. Forty therapy dogs were brought in to help students re-acclimate to being on campus.

Source: NBC News

2) Shots Fired at Dalton High School

Jesse Randal Davidson has been charged with aggravated assault, carrying a weapon on school grounds, making terroristic threats, reckless conduct, possession of a gun commission of a crime and disrupting a public school, according to NY Daily News. Wednesday morning Davidson barricaded himself inside his classroom and then proceeded to fire a gun inside after an attempt was made by students and the principal to break into the classroom. No one was injured during this ordeal.

Source: NY Daily News

3) President Trump Shocks Lawmakers by Backing Big Gun Reform

On Wednesday, President Trump drew a hard line in the sand supporting gun control. During a meeting held in the Roosevelt Room with lawmakers from both sides of the isle, President Trump pressed both parties for deliberate action on reform. His support has shifted to change reforms like expanding background checks for weapons that are purchased on the internet and at gun shows, further securing schools, restricting the age to purchase a firearm to 21 years old and keeping guns away from the mentally ill. President Trump also suggested law enforcement officers should be able to seize guns from mentally ill or other dangerous individuals without taking legal action first.

Source: The New York Times

4) Oakland Mayor Warns Citizens Before ICE Raids

This past weekend 150 people were arrested as part of a wide spread ICE operation in Northern California. Mayor Libby Schaaf came under fire this weekend after warning citizens of the impending raids that would take place in Oakland. Deputy Director of ICE Thomas D. Homan lashed out directly at Mayor Schaaf in his statement announcing the arrests on Tuesday. On Wednesday morning, Schaaf continued to defend her actions stating, "It is Oakland's legal right to be a sanctuary and we have not broken any laws. We believe our community is safer when families stick together," according to CNN.

Source: CNN

5) Major Sporting Retailer Will Immediately Stop Selling Assault-Style Rifles

On Wednesday morning, Dick's Sporting Goods announced they will no longer be selling assault style riffles. Dick's will also be banning the sale of guns to anyone under the age of 21 years old. While on "Good Morning America" Wednesday morning, Ed Stack the Chairman and CEO of Dick's said those sales would end immediately and he called on lawmakers to take action. This decision follows the fallout of the NRA with many large corporations that include Delta Airlines, MetLife and Hertz.

Source: AP News

Josh Gutierrez