FSU Students Call on Governor DeSantis to Protect Gun Purchase Age
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — In the wake of a tragic shooting incident on the Florida State University (FSU) campus, a group of students has urgently appealed to Governor Ron DeSantis to uphold the law that raised the minimum age for firearm purchases to 21 years. This request comes from students who survived the mass shooting in Parkland in 2018, underscoring their ongoing struggle with trauma associated with gun violence.
Background on Gun Purchase Legislation
The current law, which mandates that individuals must be at least 21 years old to purchase firearms, was enacted as part of a broader gun reform initiative following the devastating shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where 17 lives were lost. The group of FSU students, many of whom were directly affected by the Parkland tragedy, expressed their concerns that changing the gun purchase age would exacerbate the dangers faced by students.
Letter Sent to Governor DeSantis
In a letter dispatched to the governor on Monday, 28 students—led by Jaclyn Corin, a founding member of March For Our Lives—voiced their dismay over potential legislative efforts to revert the gun purchase age to 18. Corin described such a move as “unthinkable” and “dangerous,” reflecting the sentiment that the law has been instrumental in saving lives since its inception.
“There is no doubt that that law has saved lives over the past seven years,” Corin stated. “It’s ironic that this is the very law that is being threatened in the aftermath of what is many of those same students who rose their voices, their second school shooting.”
Political Reactions and Legislative Uncertainty
While Governor DeSantis and several Republican lawmakers support the proposed legislation to lower the purchase age, the response within the state Legislature appears mixed. Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez backs the measure, arguing that individuals old enough to serve in the military should also be permitted to purchase firearms. In contrast, Senate President Ben Albritton has expressed hesitance regarding the bill, revealing emotional reflections from his visit to the site of the Parkland shooting.
The shooting on Thursday, which occurred near the university’s student union and resulted in two fatalities and multiple injuries, could cast doubt on the future of this proposed legislation. As the legislative session nears its conclusion, the bill has yet to receive consideration in the state Senate.
Impact on Survivors and Students
In the letter, the students articulated their concerns about how rolling back the age limit would dishonor the memories of those lost in mass shootings in Parkland and Tallahassee. They argued that doing so would disregard the ongoing trauma they face as survivors and send a detrimental message about the value of student lives in Florida.
“Rolling it back would dishonor the lives we lost in Parkland and Tallahassee, and amount to a slap in the face to survivors and to the countless lives that law has helped protect,” the letter stated. “It ignores the trauma we carry. And it sends a clear message to students: the state of Florida sees our lives as expendable.”
Recent Incident Details
In Thursday’s shooting, a 20-year-old FSU student used a firearm that belonged to a former deputy sheriff, leading to two deaths and six injuries. As of Monday, Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare reported that three of the injured had been discharged from the hospital, with two more expected to follow soon. The condition of the remaining patient has been categorized as stable.
The urgency of the students’ appeal to the governor highlights a persistent struggle with gun violence among Florida’s youth, as they navigate the consequences of having experienced multiple school shootings.
