Father of Parkland Victim Slams NRA: ‘We Would Be Raising the Terror Threat Level’

The father of a Parkland, Florida school shooting victim blasted the National Rifle Association’s intimidation tactics during a Senate hearing on Wednesday.

Fred Guttenberg, who lost his teenage daughter Jamie Guttenberg in the Feb. 14 attack on Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, appeared in front of the lawmakers to address recent videos shared by the NRA, likening them to terrorist threats.

“I do want to bring to your attention something, and I’m not sure how many of you are aware of the video that the NRA put out two days ago. But they put a target on all of your backs,” Guttenberg said holding a screenshot of the video.

“The NRA, a lobby that finances campaigns, that forces legislation, put out a video basically saying, ‘Your time is running out.’ And here is Dana Loesch, in the video, talking to legislators who don’t support her, members of the media who she called out by name, members of the acting community and sports figures, telling everybody that if they don’t get behind the NRA, their time is running out,” he continued.

At the end of the video, Guttenberg said NRA spokesperson Loesch turned over the hourglass and said, “Your time’s up.” He added that she previously spearheaded a video posted a few days earlier, titled ‘A Call to Arms.’

“I ask you a question: If this was put out by a terrorist organization, we would be raising the terror threat level in this country. Why are we letting this lobby have anything to do with DC? I don’t understand it!” Guttenberg said with emotion.

The father previously slammed Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump as “pathetically weak” for their words and actions following the mass shooting at his daughter’s high school.

During CNN’s Town Hall meeting on Feb, 21, Guttenberg told Rubio, “Your comments this week and those of our president have been pathetically weak.”

“So you and I are now eye to eye. Because I want to like you. Look at me and tell me. Guns were the factor in the hunting of our kids in this school this week. And look at me and tell me you accept it and you will work with us to do something about guns,” he continued.

The request led to an intense debate between the grieving father and former presidential candidate, with audience members jeering and booing Rubio’s responses as the father pressed him on assault weapons like the AR-15 rifle, which was used by 19-year-old confessed shooter Nikolas Cruz.

While the Florida House of Representatives rejected a ban on semiautomatic guns and large capacity magazines last month, lawmakers have passed other gun-related motions in the wake of the Parkland school shooting, which killed 17 people.

The state Senate passed a school safety bill on Monday, which proposes a raise of the minimum age to purchase rifles from 18 to 21 in Florida, and would create a program to train some teachers to carry guns in schools.

The bill was also passed in the Florida House of Representatives on Wednesday and will go to Gov. Rick Scott for approval.