Joe Trillo Says Governor Raimondo’s New Directive on Guns is Creating a Potentially Dangerous Situation in RI Schools

(Warwick, RI) – Rhode Island independent candidate for governor Joe Trillo says Governor Gina Raimondo is potentially putting children’s lives at risk with today’s immediate and binding directive regarding limiting guns on Rhode Island school grounds.

“Governor Raimondo and RIDE Commissioner Ken Wagner’s directive to only permit active and visibly identifiable law enforcement personnel to carry guns onto Rhode Island school grounds is a terrible mistake that could cost more student lives than she realizes,” said Trillo.

“The answer to combatting a school shooter, is not to limit the number of guns in schools, but to allow in addition to police officers, resource officers and gun owners with valid concealed carry permits to carry firearms onto school grounds to serve as protection in the event of an unspeakable act by someone looking to kill.”

“Gina Raimondo never cared about guns before, because she never did anything about it. Now, she’s blaming the legislature for inaction that she’s truly responsible for. The only reason this issue is being raised now is because she’s looking to pander to frightened voters who feel a gun is bad no matter what. Guns aren’t bad. The people who wish to inflict harm on others are bad. Our schools need law enforcement personnel and everyday citizens equipped to take down a shooter with force, not strip them of any viable means of self-defense. Police officers are not present at every school, every day. If a shooter enters a school building on a day there is no police officer present, students and teachers are sitting ducks,” he added.

“I feel, at the least, schools need to have an undercover person present at every school, who could take care of an imminent threat. This would be similar to what the airlines did after 911, when they had federal Air Marshalls in plain clothing flying on flights to defend against a terrorism attack on the plane. Had they been sitting there in uniform, chances are, they would have been attacked.”

“Shootings are on the rise in our country, there is no doubt about that. The issue must be addressed, but Gina Raimondo’s answer is more about getting votes in an election year, than thinking about the safest course of action for students.”

Trillo concluded, “I’d also like to know where Allan Fung stands on this issue, as would all Rhode Islanders. I’m sure Fung will not be weighing in on his position on guns, because he hasn’t had the time to conduct a survey about how Rhode Islanders feel about it. One thing we do know about Allan Fung, you’ll never get a straight answer. He hides his feelings about everything until polling data is collected and analyzed and a script is written for him by a consultant. I think Allan is better suited for an acting career than as governor. In politics, lives are at stake.”