In the wake of two weekend mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio, a Kansas City woman told a local news outlet she purchased an “assault rifle” – but only so she could destroy it to make a “personal and political statement against the gun and gun violence.”
Twenty-two people were killed on Saturday in El Paso after a gunman opened fire at a local Wal Mart. Less than 13 hours later, a shooting in Dayton claimed the lives of nine victims.
Sandy Skaggs had been holding onto a firearm for a friend, but the tragedies over the weekend prompted her to buy the gun.
“I don’t even like touching this thing,” Skaggs said in an interview with ABC affiliate KMBC. “It’s upsetting.”
The Kansas City resident says she has asked local police how she can properly dispose of the weapon.
MORE: Right-Leaning Outlet Calls on Trump to Ban ‘Weapons of War’ After Weekend’s Mass Shootings
“I’m not opposed to hunting. I’m not opposed to hunters. I’m not opposed to people having guns in their possession for protection. But this is a killer. It’s a killing machine, and that’s all it’s for,” she said.
During the interview, KMBC reporter Micheal Mahoney informed Skaggs that it is not illegal to purchase or possess the gun in question.
“People are entitled to own one,” he said.
“That’s right. They are. And I’m entitled to purchase and destroy it,” Skaggs replied.
Mahoney said that Skaggs is determined to destroy the weapon to make a “personal and political statement against the gun and gun violence.”
Sandy Skaggs isn’t the first person to destroy a gun in protest of gun violence
Skaggs’ gesture echoes a similar one made last year by Karen Mallard, a former candidate for Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House.
In March, Mallard uploaded a video to her Facebook account in which she is seen destroying an AR-15.
MORE: Dem Who Destroyed AR-15 in Gun Control Stunt Gets Crushed in Primary
“We need common-sense gun laws, and these military-style assault weapons are the ones being used in mass shooting,” Mallard told WUSA in an interview that same month. ”We need to get rid of the bump stocks, we need to get rid of those large magazines so we can make sure our citizens are safe.”
About Post Author
You may also like
-
What Every Employee Should Know About Their Rights in Texas
-
Finding the Right Support After a Birth Injury Diagnosis: Legal and Medical Resources
-
Financial Options After a Car Accident: How to Manage Unexpected Costs
-
Does Reese Witherspoon Have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome?
-
Understanding Your Legal Options After a Slip and Fall Incident