Briana Koeneman
Officials Discuss Mental Health, Gun Ownership After Florida Shooting
Not long after a school shooting in Florida left at least 17 people dead, discussions of mental health and gun ownership began ramping up.
LEARN MOREFebruary 16, 2018
In the wake of the deadly school shooting in Florida, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos said states "clearly have the opportunity and the option" to arm teachers in order to protect students.
"This is an important issue for all states to grapple with and to tackle. ... I think this needs to be part of the broader, more robust conversation about how can we avoid these things in the future," DeVos said.
During an interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt, DeVos also encouraged more discussion about mental health issues, and she called on Congress to start holding hearings on school shootings.
"We have got to have an honest conversation, and Congress has to lead on this. It's their job," DeVos said.
Wednesday's attack at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School left 17 people dead. The suspected shooter is in custody and confessed to investigators.
