The father of a Parkland school shooting victim who was kicked out of Tuesday’s State of The Union address is apologizing after comments he yelled at President Donald Trump over gun control.
Fred Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter Jamie was one of 17 people killed in the Feb. 14, 2018, shooting inside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, was escorted out of the House chambers after he yelled at Trump following comments in which the President continued his support for gun rights.
"So long as I am president, I will always protect your Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms," Trump had said to applause from Republicans before the outburst.
Guttenberg, a guest of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, then yelled out, "what about victims of gun violence like my daughter," a New York Times reporter tweeted.
The main camera feed in the room showed Pelosi looking toward the area of the outburst. Trump did not appear to react.
“I let my emotions get the best of me. I simply want to be able to deal with the reality of gun violence,” Guttenberg wrote on Twitter after the speech. “I do owe my family and friends an apology. I have tried to conduct myself with dignity throughout this process and I will do better as I pursue gun safety.”
Will Goodwin, an official with Vote Vets and a graduate of West Point, tweeted that Guttenberg told him he was going to get kicked out when Trump began speaking about gun control.
Guttenberg, like several other parents of victims in the deadly shooting, has been an outspoken supporter of changes that include coming out against former Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel in his effort to get his job back after being suspended by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
He has also been a critic of continued delays in gun control legislation and of the administrations of both Trump and DeSantis – putting him at odds at times with parents of victims such as Andrew Pollack and Ryan Petty among others.
Guttenberg drew national headlines just months after the deadly shooting when he attended the confirmation hearings for Judge Brett Kavanaugh and attempted to shake his hand and identified himself as the father of a Parkland shooting victim. Kavanaugh, who would be confirmed as a Supreme Court justice, denied the handshake and security intervened.