Last week in Marion County, Florida, three teenagers were shot to death in what local law enforcement believes were gang-related offenses involving perpetrators who they say are also juveniles, with one of the alleged murderers being 12 years old.
On Friday morning, the sheriff’s office held a press conference where Sheriff Billy Woods confirmed they had arrested two of the three suspects, 17-year-old Robert Robinson and 12-year-old Christopher Atkins. They face first-degree murder charges after allegedly confessing to at least one of the murders.
Marion Co Sheriff Billy Woods said deputies arrested 12-year-old Christopher Atkins & 16-year-old Robert Robinson on first-degrees murder charges.
Another suspect – 16 y/o Tahj Brewton is still at large. @news6wkmg pic.twitter.com/x1ASA9EHf9
— Ezzy Castro (@EzzyCastro) April 7, 2023
During the press conference, a somber-looking Woods addressed the media and immediately sought to tackle what inevitably would be a topic of conversation in the press and the community: gun control and the punishment that the alleged killers should face.
Woods did not mince words:
“There are individuals out there viewing, and to include some of you media, who want to blame the one thing that has no ability or the capacity to commit the crime itself, and that’s the gun. These individuals committed the crime. So what’s the solution? I wish I could give you that answer because this world would be a whole lot better. But the fact is, society fails it. We do not hold our juveniles accountable. We minimize their actions,” Woods said. “…School districts across the state and across this nation need to quit minimizing the actions of their students. Hold them accountable. That’s where the failure is.”
Watch:
Two juveniles have been arrested and a third is being sought in connection with the recent shooting deaths of three teenagers in Central Florida, the Marion County sheriff says https://t.co/PzdsxniVY5 pic.twitter.com/9PSMqNTMkg
— CNN (@CNN) April 7, 2023
Later, Woods took a question from a reporter who wanted to know how the suspects obtained their guns. After responding that the guns were stolen during a burglary, Woods seemed to address another reporter in the crowd, telling them in no uncertain terms that more gun laws likely would not have prevented the tragic murders of the three teenagers.
“The bad guy’s gonna get a gun no matter what law you have put in place,” he correctly pointed out.
Watch:
Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods SNAPS on reporter for gun question after 3 teens were murdered by suspects using stolen gun.
"All the gun laws we got in place didn't prevent it, did it? … the bad guy's gonna get a gun no matter what law you have put in place!" pic.twitter.com/unDT9pIFcG
— Jason Howerton (@jason_howerton) April 7, 2023
Inconvenient truths are what they are, and no amount of spin from the gun control crowd on the left and in the press is going to change that. Good on Woods for being unafraid to speak them at a time when the ugly media/Democrat shame and blame games in the aftermath of violent crimes involving guns have reached a fever pitch.
Related–>> Watch: DC Council Chair Claims ‘There Is No Crime Crisis,’ It Backfires Almost Immediately
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