Florida School District Buys AR-15 Semi-Automatic Rifles

Fontana, FL – The Fontana Unified School District approved the purchase of 14 AR-15 semi-automatic rifles for campus protection. The semi-automatic weapons will be locked in a safe for police officers to use if the school is ever attacked.

The school district decided to buy the guns to better protect students in the wake of recent mass shootings, according to The Blaze. Fontana Police Chief Rodney Jones called it “unfortunate’ that the school had to resort to such drastic measures, CBS Los Angeles notes.

Chief Jones also had this to say about the school buying semi-automatic weapons:

“The message we’re sending is not here, not now, we’re prepared for you. And if you seek to harm our children, we will neutralize that threat and you will most likely be killed.”

Fontana Mayor Acquanetta Warren also appears to support the semi-automatic rifle purchases. Mayor Warren had this to say about school safety:

“Everyone wants children safe. At this time, we as a community, we have to come together and find other ways. But in the interim, our police officers need to be equipped.”

The gun purchase was not well received by all local officials. Fontana Unified School District Board of Education member Sophia Green feared that having semi-automatic weapons on campus could encourage shooters to come at them with something “bigger and better.”

Do you think having guns on campus will help protect students and staff?