In the wake of a tragic shooting at Florida State University (FSU), students who also lived through the 2018 Parkland massacre have reached out to Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, urging him to halt any efforts to lower the firearm purchasing age back to 18. This appeal comes as the state contemplates revising the existing law, which raised the minimum gun purchasing age to 21 after the loss of 17 lives at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
The reform law was established following the Parkland tragedy, recognized as one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history. Those students from Parkland, who are now enrolled at FSU and endured another incident of gun violence, played a central role in drafting a letter to the governor. Within their message, 28 students, led by a March For Our Lives co-founder, termed any consideration of changing the purchasing age as “unthinkable” and “dangerous.” Jaclyn Corin, representing the group, highlighted that those who advocated for change in 2018 have now found themselves in the midst of a similar tragedy again.
“There is no doubt that that law has saved lives over the past seven years,” Corin stated, “and so now it’s quite ironic that this is the very law that is being threatened in the aftermath for many of those same students, their second school shooting.”
Governor DeSantis and several Republican legislators have expressed support for the measure, arguing that if individuals are eligible for military service at age 18, they should be permitted to purchase firearms. Despite backing from Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez, Senate President Ben Albritton has shown caution, reflecting on his visit to the site of the Parkland shooting where emotional memories linger. Although a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association, Albritton has voiced his indecision regarding the potential measure.
The recent FSU shooting, occurring just minutes from Florida’s Capitol, casts uncertainty over the proposed legislative changes, which have yet to be considered by the state Senate. The legislative session is approaching its close next week.
The letter sent to Governor DeSantis branded rolling back the age limit as a “slap in the face” to survivors and disrespectful to those who lost their lives in both Parkland and Tallahassee. It further highlights the law’s role in offering protection, emphasizing that reducing the age sends a disheartening message about the value of student lives in Florida.
Thursday’s incident involved a 20-year-old FSU student, who used his law enforcement family member’s retired service weapon to kill two and injure six others. Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare later released a statement updating the public on the improved condition of those affected. Three patients had been discharged, with the expectation that two more would leave the hospital later in the day, while the last remaining patient was in “good condition.”