Rubio argument against banning semi-automatic rifle cut off by audience applause for ban

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) on Wednesday night attempted to argue that the only way to keep individuals from skirting loopholes in proposed gun laws would be to ban all semi-automatic rifles, but the crowd cut him off to applaud the ban itself. 

“The issue is not the loopholes. It’s the problem that once you start looking at how easy it is to get around it, you would literally have to ban every semi-automatic rifle that’s sold,” Rubio said during a CNN town hall event after last week’s Florida school shooting.

{mosads}He was then interrupted by applause.

“Fair enough, fair enough. That is a valid position to hold, but my colleagues do not support banning every semi-automatic rifle sold in America,” Rubio said, prompting jeers from the crowd.

Earlier in the same event, Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) vowed to introduce legislation next week banning assault weapons.

Rubio, meanwhile, said at the event that he would support raising the minimum age requirement to purchase a rifle, something that other lawmakers have signaled support for. The National Rifle Association, however, has come out in opposition to such a change.

Rubio added that he supports banning bump stocks and improving the country’s background check system, measures that have received support from the Trump administration and other lawmakers.