Crime & Safety

Mom Of Parkland School Massacre Victim: 'Nobody Needs To Own An AR-15'

Long Island's Linda Beigel Schulman has been an outgoing voice for new gun laws since her son Scott was killed in 2018.

Linda Beigel Schulman, whose son was killed during the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School rampage in 2018, is pushing for stricter federal gun laws.
Linda Beigel Schulman, whose son was killed during the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School rampage in 2018, is pushing for stricter federal gun laws. (Jerry Barmash/Patch)

DIX HILLS, NY — Following the deadly shootings in Buffalo, Uvalde and Tulsa in recent weeks, President Joe Biden declared "enough" on Thursday and put forth several pieces of gun legislation for Congress to consider.

He wants the assault weapon ban reinstated but, knowing that isn't likely, Biden is also pushing for an age minimum of 21 to purchase the rifles.

Linda Beigel Schulman, of Suffolk County, knows the pain of losing a loved one to gun violence. Schulman's son Scott was a teacher who was killed saving students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, four years ago.

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"Upping the age to 21 is definitely a start," said Beigel Schulman, a guest on Friday's "Patch AM." "Nobody needs to own an AR-15. An AR-15 or an AR weapon is a weapon of war. In all of these mass shootings, the one thing that remains the same is that weapon."

Ten Republicans would need to vote for Biden's package for it to reach his desk.

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Beigel Schulman said there's no need to analyze past inaction by lawmakers.

"How about if we look from today forward, what we want to prevent from happening?" she said.

Beigel Schulman has been fighting for stricter gun laws since her son's murder, creating the Scott J. Beigel Memorial Fund. An event is taking place later this month.

"My life will never be the same," she said. "All I want to do going forward is, I want to keep people out of the club that I'm in. I will fight every single day with every breath I have until we, all of us together, can have sensible gun legislation federally."

You can watch the full "Patch AM" interview with Linda Beigel Schulman below.


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