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Gun control debate erupts immediately after gunman shoots congressman

The reactions were instantaneous.

Photo of Andrew Wyrich

Andrew Wyrich

People on Twitter debated gun control following the shooting of Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.)

The House of Representatives were reportedly scheduled to hear debates on whether it should be easier for Americans to get silencers for guns on Wednesday—just hours after a gunman fired on several GOP congressmen and aides at a baseball field in Virginia, sending Rep. Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) to the hospital.

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The debate on silencers was canceled in response to the shooting, according to CNN.

While Congress was scheduled to debate gun control measures, a debate among Twitter users popped up online within minutes of reports surfacing of Scalise’s shooting.

Similarly to the debates that crop up following every highly publicized shooting in the United States, people waged passionate arguments both for having stricter gun control laws and for looser laws would have helped prevent the attack.

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Sen. Rand Paul (R-K.y.) said everyone at the ballpark would have been killed if not for Capitol Hill Police being at the scene. “It would have been a massacre without them,” Paul said of the police officers who returned fire at the shooter and ultimately subdued him.

Some Twitter users used his quote as a jumping-off point for the debate.

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Others felt yet another shooting in the U.S. just highlighted the need to talk about stricter gun control laws.

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https://twitter.com/resistasista76/status/874966581108908032

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https://twitter.com/washnews_live/status/874970512266604545

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Others were not convinced any gun control measures would be brought about in light of Wednesday’s shooting.

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But there were also many people who said gun control laws would not have prevented the shooting—with some arguing concealed carry permits should be broadened.

https://twitter.com/MinnPatriot/status/874973586464944129

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https://twitter.com/HickoryTaylor/status/874981698492084224

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https://twitter.com/TheMarkRomano/status/874972315737567233

As more details of the shooting continue to come out, it is likely the gun control debate will only intensify.

 
The Daily Dot