The most powerful gun-rights lobby in the US says it wants to address gun violence by having an armed police officer in every school in the country.
The comments by the National Rifle Association came exactly a week after a gunman killed 26 people at a Connecticut school, including 20 children aged six and seven.
The comments were the group’s first substantial ones since the shooting, while pressure has mounted in Washington and elsewhere for more measures against gun violence.
“The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun,” said the NRA’s executive vice-president, Wayne LaPierre at a Washington news conference.
At least two protesters broke up his announcement, despite tight security. One man held up a large red banner that said “NRA killing our kids.” The protesters were taken away by security, shouting that guns in schools are not the answer.
The 4.3 million-member National Rifle Association may be facing its toughest challenge in the wake of national horror over last week’s killing of children, many of them shot multiple times and at close range by high-powered rifle.
Mr LaPierre said “the next Adam Lanza,” the 20-year-old responsible for last week’s shooting, is planning a school attack.
He blamed the media, video games, films and music videos for exposing children to a violent culture day in and day out.
As “some have tried to exploit tragedy for political gain, we have remained respectfully silent,” he added.
He refused to take any questions.
Mr LaPierre also announced that former Representative Asa Hutchison will lead an NRA programme that will develop a model security plan for schools that relies on armed volunteers.
Since the Newtown shooting, President Barack Obama has demanded “real action, right now” against gun violence and called on the NRA to join the effort. His administration has been moving quickly after several congressional gun-rights supporters said they would consider new legislation to control firearms.
The president said in a video released early yesterday that the White House has received an outpouring of support for stricter gun laws over the past week. “We hear you,” he said.