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Days after a teenager was arrested for shooting another teen at the Oklahoma State Fair, one Oklahoma lawmaker believes the solution is to flood the fair with more guns.
Dayvion Hamilton, 15, has been charged with first-degree murder after a dispute led to the shooting of two teens at the Bennett Event Center during the Oklahoma State Fair on Saturday.
Video shared with KFOR’s Kaylee Olivas showed chaos and confusion as a night of family fun turned into terror.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma state Representative Jim Olsen (R-Roland) used the event to advocate for open carry on fairgrounds.
Rep. Jim Olsen wants more guns at State Fair
“The Tragic shooting this past weekend at the Oklahoma State Fair underscored the need for law-abiding citizens to be able to exercise their Second Amendment rights at the State Fair,” Rep. Olsen stated in a press release Wednesday.
“The whole incident illustrates that, under the liberal gun control mindset, lawless criminals will continue to carry weapons and prove a threat while law-abiding Americans are prohibited from utilizing their God-given right to protect themselves and their families.”
It’s unclear what the Oklahoma lawmaker means by “liberal gun control.” Oklahoma is an ultra-conservative state where Republicans control the legislature, the judicial courts and the Governor’s Office.
In recent years, Gov. Stitt signed into law a permitless carry bill, and in 2012, the state passed a preemption law that prohibits cities and municipalities from passing gun reform measures.
Notably, Oklahoma has the 12th highest firearm death rate of any state, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
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Oklahoma Lawmaker has history of denying facts
Democrats in the state House released their own proposals for solutions to the gun violence crisis last summer. The SAVE Act would repeal anti-red flag laws, repeal permit-less carry, and repeal concealed carry in public parks and zoos.
Yet, Republicans have remained hostile to the idea of gun reform, focusing instead on ramping up security. Even so, conservative lawmakers struck down two bills last year that would’ve allowed guns at the state fair.
Meanwhile, Rep. Olsen has a history of causing controversy with a smile on his face. He faced condemnation after saying he’d rather be a slave than an aborted fetus in 2021. That same year he tried to pass an education bill that would downplay the teaching of U.S. slavery in classrooms.
He doesn’t appear interested in evidence-based solutions.
In the Oklahoma lawmaker’s statement calling for more guns at the state fair, Rep. Jim Olsen referred to the Saturday teenage shooter as a “lawless thug.”
“In a public place where lawless thugs can be a threat, trustworthy Oklahomans should have the right to be armed if they so choose,” Rep. Olsen said.
Following Saturday’s shooting, the Oklahoma State Fair announced new security measures on their X account.
“Starting at 5 p.m. daily, all minors, age 17 and under, must be accompanied by a parent, guardian, or chaperone (21+) when entering the Fair. Parents, guardians, or chaperones may accompany no more than six minors 17 years of age and under.”