By now, you must have heard about Kyle Kashuv’s interrogation by authorities for visiting the gun range with his father. He fired an AR-15. It was the first time he fired a gun. There was nothing wrong with what he did. It was perfectly legal, something that millions of Americans can do daily. Yet, Kashuv found himself interrogated by the school resource officer and a Broward County sheriff’s deputy for the visit. It was a shake down. Period. They admitted that Kashuv did nothing wrong, and that he wasn’t even considered a threat—but continued to grill him intensely over the visit.
It was great learning about our inalienable right of #2A and how to properly use a gun. This was my first time ever touching a gun and it made me appreciate the #Constitution even more. My instructor was very informative; I learnt a lot. #2A is important and we need 2 preserve 2A pic.twitter.com/4rcOZbpl88
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) April 21, 2018
Kashuv is a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the site of a horrific school shooting on February 14 that sparked a renewed push for gun control. Kashuv, unlike his peers, is a conservative and is trying to offer another voice on this issue, though the news media has fawned over peers David Hogg, Emma Gonzalez, and Cameron Kasky. The trio has become the new faces of the anti-gun Left.
The school resource officer noted Kashuv’s curriculum, wondering why he would do such a thing (i.e. go to the gun range) while being an AP student. The point is there was the aura that he had done something wrong; he did not. Kashuv’s parents were not informed that their son would be interrogated for exercising his Second Amendment rights.
“It’s still America last time I checked,” said Kashuv. He also wondered where does this end? Will every student who visits a gun range be hauled in without counsel or consent from parents and grilled about legal activities outside of school? Kashuv said this behavior shows a road to tyranny. He spoke with Fox News’ Tucker Carlson about it Tuesday night (via Fox News Insider):
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Kashuv told Tucker Carlson that the interrogation was "a clear attempt to intimidate me."
He said he was called to the school office and met with a school resource officer before a sheriff's deputy showed up.
[…]
Kashuv said the resource officer asked him why he's "taking five AP classes" and would still "do something like this."
"He came in with the notion that I've done something wrong by going to a gun range," Kashuv said.
[…]
Kashuv said he asked the sheriff's deputy if he did anything wrong after the deputy began his own questioning.
"Whose gun is it and who did you shoot it with?" Kashuv recalled the deputy asking.
He said the deputy "tried to intimidate me into somehow incriminating my father."
Kashuv said the incident is reminiscent of a "clear road to tyranny."
Even former talk show host Montel Williams thought this interrogation was bush league, possibly illegal. Then again, Greg Pittman, a teacher at Marjory Stoneman Douglas, decided to criticize Kashuv, who responded in kind by citing how the interrogation was possibly illegal.
So @KyleKashuv, went to a gun range *WITH HIS FATHER outside school hours. I don’t understand how that justifies being interrogated by rent-a-cops and then by a sworn officer without giving his parents the chance to be present? https://t.co/pUBIecoL7v
— Montel Williams (@Montel_Williams) April 24, 2018
As a teacher from Stoneman Douglas, any student posting photos holding guns, knives or other weapons would be questioned. 4 federal cases have ruled in the last 10 years that assault weapons are not protected. Most gun owners would not hold their gun in this same posed manner
— Greg Pittman (@GregPittman1957) April 24, 2018
I understand the point but this is none of yours or the school’s business, and it’s certainly inappropriate to have three cops interrogate a 16 year old (illegally mind you) over a tweet that depicts an entirely lawful activity he did with his dad?
— Montel Williams (@Montel_Williams) April 24, 2018
Also...if you are going to question a minor...why not bring in the parents also?
— Pradheep J. Shanker, M.D., M.S. (@Neoavatara) April 24, 2018
Exactly. Had the adults not failed here, we wouldn’t be wasting time on such a knucklehead mistake. All they had to do was call his parents and/or mirandize him.
— Montel Williams (@Montel_Williams) April 24, 2018
Mr. Pittman, it was an illegal and unconstitutional detainment. See U.S. Code § 1983 and JDB v. North Carolina
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) April 24, 2018
1) the derogatory mentions of poliical beliefs.
2) the LEO in back of me holding my chair.
3) not contacting my parents prior
4) Calling me into a locked office https://t.co/jz1RnHwL1M
Wait... did this American History teacher at my school just say #2A is for hunting? Did he not bother to read the federalist papers? SAD! https://t.co/BCdySxWIFg
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) April 25, 2018
As I’ve said before, law enforcement is a tough job. I’m a law and order conservative, but I’ll also call out cops when they’re out of line—something the Right is a bit hesitant to do. Now, this wasn’t a case of police brutality, but to intimidate students for exercising their rights outside of school is absurd. It’s a harsh reminder that while the gun rights movement has scored major victories, it doesn’t mean the fight is over.
Kashuv also joined Dana Loesch's show on NRA TV to detail the incident:
Parkland shooting survivor @KyleKashuv tells @DLoesch on Radio America's "The Dana Show" how Broward County deputies and school officials are targeting him for his pro-gun stance: "They acted like I was the next shooter." #Relentless #NRATV pic.twitter.com/HJ1m7Chqzt
— NRATV (@NRATV) April 25, 2018
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