Dallas Official Urges NRA Convention To Relocate After Florida School Shooting

A top Dallas city official on Monday proposed that the Nation Rifle Association (NRA) move its upcoming convention to another location.

Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway said that the NRA’s annual meeting, scheduled for May 4-6 at Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, could potentially be jarring following the Florida school shooting that left 17 people dead on Wednesday.

The suspected shooter, a former student, opened fire using an AR-15 rifle.

"It is a tough call when you ask the NRA to reconsider coming to Dallas, but it is putting all citizens first, and getting them to come to the table and elected officials to come to the table and to address this madness now," Caraway told reporters. "At the end of the day, we need to connect the dots. The NRA needs to step up to the plate, and they need to show leadership."

The NRA’s event includes a legal gun exhibit, free seminars, workshops, book signings, and ammunition available for purchase.

The city expects over 80,000 attendees and an estimated $40 million in revenue during the three days, USA Today reported.

NRA representative Andrew Arulanandam scoffed at the idea of possibly relocating. The Dallas meeting would mark the association’s first return to Texas since its trip to Houston in 2013.

"No politician anywhere can tell the NRA not to come to their city," Arulanandam told WFAA. "We are already there. Dallas, like every American city and community, is populated by NRA members. Our members work in fire stations and police departments. They save lives in local hospitals and own businesses in communities urban and rural throughout this country."

Meanwhile, gun control advocates have criticized Florida politicians who reportedly accepted funds from the NRA. According to CNN, 14 Republicans took contributions from the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund during the 2016 election.