An Illinois gunmaker is under fire for creating an assault rifle specifically for children.
The JR-15 is 20 percent smaller than an AR-15 but the manufacturer, WEE1 Tactical, promises it “operates just like Mom and Dad’s gun,” according to the press release in November.
The JR-15 has a logo of a skull and crossbones with a pacifier and was designed to “safely help adults introduce children to the shooting sports.”
“We believe that this introduction early on will produce a deep respect for firearms that continue and last for a lifetime of safety,” the company added.
According to The Independent, the gun was unveiled last month at the SHOT show, the country’s largest shooting, hunting and outdoor industry trade show.
The event was sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation the trade association for the firearms industry that is based in Newtown, Connecticut, the site of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre where 20 children and six adults were killed.
Several gun control groups slammed the gun’s manufacturer after the weapon was unveiled, including Newtown Action Alliance, a group formed to raise awareness about gun-violence prevention after the Sandy Hook massacre.
“The callousness of the National Shooting Sports Foundation to promote a children’s version of the same type of assault rifle that was used in a horrific mass shooting of 20 first graders and six educators in our shared community is just the latest proof that the organisation, and the gun manufacturers it represents, will do anything in pursuit of continued profits,” Po Murray, chairwoman of the group said in a statement.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) called the weapon “vile” and introduced new measures to hold the makers of assault weapons accountable for the deaths their products cause.
“This is VILE,” Newsom said in a tweet. “A skull & crossbones with a pacifier on weapon of war. Made to look “cute” to appeal to kids. The manufacturer calls this a “JR-15.” Every NRA-backed politician should condemn this.”
