Gun Rights Group to Conduct Mock Mass Shooting at Univ. of Texas

The protest to gun-free zones will feature actors “shot” by gunman armed with cardboard weapons.

This weekend, two pro-gun groups will hold a fake mass shooting just adjacent to the University of Texas campus to protest gun-free zones.

The event will feature actors “shot” by gunman armed with cardboard weapons, reports the Austin American Statesman.  Shooting noises will be projected from bullhorns and the participants will use fake blood. Additionally, other individuals will play the role of first responders who will also be armed with cardboard firearms.

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Initially, the event was supposed to take place on campus, but UT says the demonstration could be considered criminal trespassing because the campus is not open to outside groups. As a result, the protest will now take place on a sidewalk adjacent to campus.

Organizers of the event say it was planned more than a month before the Dec. 2 San Bernardino shootings.

Not all gun-rights activists are supporting the protest, telling the Los Angeles Times that they are concerned about the use of fake blood and the sound of gunshots. A representative for Students for Concealed Carry told the news source that the event organizers are little more than “anarchists cloaking their antics in the legitimacy of the 2nd Amendment.”

The event will take place during finals and just two days before the third anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting.

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