WASHINGTON
— The father of an 18-year-old girl killed last week in a school
shooting in Parkland, Fla., made an impassioned plea to President Trump
on Wednesday at the White House to act quickly to protect children in
the country’s schools.
“We’re
here because my daughter has no voice — she was murdered last week,
shot nine times,” said Andrew Pollack, whose daughter Meadow was one of
the 17 people killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. “How many
schools, how many children have to get shot? It stops here, with this
administration and me.”
Florida Shooting Survivor: ‘I Will Fight Every Single Day’
One hundred Marjory Stoneman Douglas
students traveled to Tallahassee to advocate for gun control. Survivors
spoke to legislators while supporters protested across the country.
By CHRIS CIRILLO and BARBARA MARCOLINI on Publish Date February 21, 2018.
Photo by Audra Melton for The New York Times.
Watch in Times Video »
Mr.
Pollack was an unannounced guest at a listening session in the State
Dining Room of the White House, which called the session a discussion of
school safety.
“We’re
going to do something about this horrible situation,” Mr. Trump said as
he opened the session, adding that his administration would be “very
strong on background checks” of those wishing to purchase guns, and put
“a very strong emphasis on the mental health of somebody.”
But
what began with a recitation of somber statements and vows to act
quickly became emotional when Mr. Pollack took the microphone, venting
raw anger and grief.
“It
should have been one school shooting, and we should have fixed it, and
I’m pissed,” Mr. Pollack said, raising his voice as he looked at Mr.
Trump, “because my daughter, I’m not going to see again.”
Mr.
Pollack said he did not favor adopting new gun restrictions, but
pleaded for Democrats and Republicans to come together to create new
school safety measures.
“It’s not about gun laws right now — that’s another fight, another battle,” he said. “We need our children safe.”
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