Rep. Peter King (R-NY) on Thursday questioned why anyone needs to own assault weapons, reiterating his support for a ban on such firearms.
“I voted for the assault weapon ban back in 1994. My father was a police officer. I really don’t know why people need assault weapons,” King said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “I’m not a hunter, but I understand people who want to hunt. I understand people who live in rough neighborhoods or have a small business and want to maintain a pistol to protect themselves so long as they’re properly vetted and licensed. But an assault weapon, listen, I’m sure 99 percent of people who own assault weapons are good Americans, but to give that potential to a mass murderer who would be able to outarm the police, who as we saw could carry out the worst devastation.”
King continued, “Why the issue of an assault weapon should even be on the table, why we want to identify with that when it’s a vocal minority, but it is a minority who support these weapons.”
Watch the exchange:
