During a gun hearing in Connecticut on Monday, a woman was caught sending text messages that said she wanted to shoot a state lawmaker and some officials from the National Rifle Association.
The woman, who has not been named, is a gun-control activist and in her text was referring to Connecticut state senator Rob Sampson, a pro-gun-rights Republican, according to the National Review.
In the text, the woman said, “If I had a gun, I’d blow away Sampson and a large group of NRA.”
The woman was immediately ejected from the hearing after someone saw her sending the threatening texts and snapped a photo of it, according to Newsweek.
These are the same people who say law-abiding gun owners can’t be trusted – texting threats to one another about targeting a lawmaker. #Guns #2A @NSSF https://t.co/R5iIOkc86h
— Mark Oliva (@MarkOlivaTweets) March 12, 2019
The hearing was in front of the state’s Joint Committee on the Judiciary committee to hear from both sides regarding stricter laws on home gun storage.
The legislation was presented under the name of “Ethan’s Law.” On Jan. 31, 2018, 15-year-old Ethan Song was killed after he unintentionally shot himself in the head at a friend’s house with a .357 Magnum that belonged to the friend’s father.
No charges were filed in the case since the father was not in violation of the state’s gun storage requirements that only loaded guns require locked storage.
The new law, which is pushed by Ethan’s parents, would require all guns — loaded or not — to be in locked containers.
Ethan’s mother, Kristin Song, said, “Ethan’s death was completely preventable, if only the father had securely stored his guns. That’s why I’m fighting to pass ‘Ethan’s Law,’ to strengthen Connecticut’s safe storage requirements.”
Gun rights groups fear that the new legislation would jeopardize quick access to a gun in the event it is needed for defense.
Woman caught texting threat to NRA and Republican lawmaker gets thrown out of gun hearing https://t.co/c2XdkqOwFs pic.twitter.com/deQKIhHbZg
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) March 12, 2019
Connecticut Citizens Defense League president Scott Wilson said, “No matter what a person’s position is on guns or the 2nd Amendment, we all obviously agree we want children safe and protected. Law abiding gun owners still need to have the ability to retrieve a firearm in the event of a home invasion or other warranted events to defend family members from harm without fear of prosecution.”
There is also a second bill under consideration that would make it necessary for individuals who are carrying a weapon to show their gun carry permit, if asked to do so by law enforcement.
The current law does not require the gun carrier to comply if asked to show their permit. A third gun control consideration is to prohibit those who carry guns from leaving them in their vehicles unless they are locked in a proper gun safe.
