Vice presidential candidates JD Vance and Tim Walz agreed that schools must be safer for children before the Democrat makes a stunning admission.
“I have a 17-year-old and he witnessed a shooting at a community center while playing volleyball,” the Minnesota governor said, recounting how his son Gus, 17, witnessed a tragedy himself. “Those things won’t let you go.”
Vance was shocked by the story and immediately expressed his condolences.
“I didn’t know your 17-year-old witnessed a shooting. I’m sorry about that. Christ have mercy. That’s terrible,” the Republican said.
The rare moment of bipartisan agreement came just over an hour into the vice-presidential debate, during which the two had been sparing with each other.
Moments later, while advocating for gun control reforms, Walz made a startling revelation: “I’ve become friends with school shooters.”
Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz gestures as he speaks during a debate with Republican vice presidential candidate U.S. Senator J.D. Vance. Walz claimed during debate: ‘I have become friends with school shooters’
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The admission was in response to a question about why Walz had changed his position and now supports a ban on assault weapons.
Walz also said he also met with the parents of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
The Democrat said, “I met the Sandy Hook parents in that office. I’ve been friends with school shooters, I’ve seen it.”
“Look, the NRA, I’ve been an NRA guy for a long time,” he continued. “They taught gun safety. I’m at the age where I kept my shotgun in my car so I could go pheasant hunting after football practice.”
It is unclear exactly what point he was trying to make and whether he was mistaken.
The strange claim immediately earned him contempt for shooting victims.
“My daughter was killed in the Parkland school shooting. It is absolutely disgusting that Tim Walz has befriended school shooters. Disqualifying,” tweeted Andrew Pollack, whose daughter was killed in the Parkland school shooting.
And attention from the ex-president.
“Did Tampon Tim just say he ‘became friends with school shooters?’ Trump wrote on his Truth Social app.
“He’s not even qualified to be governor, let alone vice president. Walz and Kamala don’t have what it takes!’
Gus Walz, son of Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, cries during the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, in Chicago, as his mother Gwen Walz looks on
It is unclear why Walz claimed to be friends with gunmen
Although Vance and Walz did reach an agreement on securing schools.
“I don’t want my children to go to school at a school that feels unsafe… we need to increase safety in our schools,” Vance said.
“I think Governor Walz and I probably agree that we need to do better in this area. The question is how we actually do it.’
‘We have to ensure that the doors are locked better. We need to make the doors stronger. We need to make the windows stronger, and of course we need to expand the school’s workforce, because the idea that we can magically wave a wand and take weapons out of the hands of bad guys just doesn’t work. fit recent experiences. So we need to make our schools safer.”