LeBron James Questions Why Florida Children Can Buy an AR-15 but Not Beer at 18-years-old

LeBron James commented on the tragic Florida school shooting while in the middle of press for NBA [...]

By Jose Bastidas

LeBron James commented on the tragic Florida school shooting while in the middle of press for NBA All-Stars.

The former Miami Heat player reflected on seeing the community he used to live in suffer through one of the deadliest shootings of modern U.S. history.

"It's a tragedy," James said Wednesday during the All-Star media day at the Los Angeles Convention Center, discussing the deadly shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland when 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz opened fire at the school he was expelled from taking the lives of 17 people.

"We've seen these schools and these tragedies happen in America and there's been no change to gun control. I don't have the answer to this. But we have to do something about it."

The basketball player said he couldn't understand how a teenager that is not able to purchase alcohol has the ability to purchase a gun, in response to a question about the school shooting from The Miami Herald.

"We're all sending out kids to school right?" He said. "We drop them off at 8 o'clock. At 3:15 they're going to be ready to get picked up. Either we're picking them or someone in our family is picking them up or they have to take a bus or there's aftercare and they stay until 5. But we all feel like our kids are going to return, right?

""We have a kid who wasn't legally unable to buy a beer at a bar, but he can go buy an AR-15? It doesn't make sense. I'm not saying it should be legal for him to go buy beer. But how is it possible that we can have minors go buy a gun? I don't have the answer to it. But to the families in Parkland, down in Broward County, it's sad and I'm sorry and it's just a tragedy. I hope we don't continue to see this because it's too many in the last 10 years with guns."

James made headlines early Saturday after responding to Fox News Host Laura Ingraham saying he should "keep the political commentary to yourself. Or as someone once said, 'Shut up and dribble,'" lashing out at the baskeball star for openly criticizing President Donald Trump.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, numerous fans, celebrities and pro athletes were outraged by her remarks, some accusing Ingraham of being a racist.

James, however, said he was glad.

"I defeated the odds and I want every kid to know that they can do it as well and that's why I will not just shut up and dribble," James said. "The best thing she did was help me create more awareness."

He continued, "I appreciate her for giving me more awareness while I sit up here on the greatest weekend — this is the best weekend of the NBA. All the counties in the whole entire world come watch the greatest players in the whole entire world ... and I get to sit up here and talk about social injustice, inequality and why a woman on a certain network told me to shut up and dribble."

0comments
Start the Conversation

of