Republicans' AR-15 Lapel Pins Slammed in Wake of Nashville School Shooting

In light of the mass shooting at a private Christian elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee, some House Republicans have drawn scowls for previously wearing assault rifle-shaped lapel pins.

On Monday, three children and three adults were fatally shot inside Covenant School, a private Christian school that teaches preschool to sixth grade. The victims have been identified as 9-year-olds Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney, as well as Cynthia Peak, 61, Katherine Koonce, 60, and Mike Hill, 61.

According to the Metro Nashville Police Department, the shooter, identified as 28-year-old Audrey Hale, was armed with two assault-style rifles, as well as one handgun. Hale was killed after engaging with police responding to the siege.

Monday's incident was the 129th mass shooting of this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive (GVA). While there is no agreed definition, the GVA says a mass shooting is four or more people shot or killed in an incident, excluding the shooter.

The mass shooting has reignited outrage over some House GOP members who have been seen wearing assault-rifle style lapel pins on the House floor. Georgia Representative Andrew Clyde took credit for the pins over Twitter in February, saying that he handed the pins out "to remind people of the Second Amendment of the Constitution and how important it is in preserving our liberties." Representatives George Santos of New York and Anna Paulina Luna of Florida have also been spotted sporting the pin.

While speaking to MSNBC host Chris Jansing, former prosecutor and legal analyst Charles Coleman called out the assault-style pins while criticizing GOP lawmakers' approach to mass shootings.

"I'm politicizing it just as much as those House members who decided that it was a good idea to wear AR-15 lapel pins and walk around Congress as if these things weren't happening," Coleman said. "Where are they right now? What's going to be their statement? Because we don't need another round of thoughts and prayers."

Twitter user Jennifer Hayden specifically pointed a finger at Clyde after reposting a video from February where the congressman first took credit for the pins.

"Isn't he cute? He thinks it's fun to "trigger" Democrats with these AR-15 lapel pins he hands out to other members of Congress who sit on their hands while children are being murdered in their classrooms with weapons," Hayden wrote.

Rich Campbell also tweeted, "Remember: Republicans in Congress wear AR-15 lapel pins."

"These MFers don't give a S*** about kids -- dead or alive," the user added.

Clyde had not publicly addressed the shooting in Nashville as of Monday night. Newsweek has reached out to his press team via email for comment.

President Joe Biden repeated calls to Congress to pass his assault-weapons ban after the Covenant School shooting while hosting the Women's Business Summit at the White House on Monday.

"It's about time that we begin to make some more progress," the president said, while also sending his "concern and heart out" to parents and families impacted by gun violence.

According to nonprofit research organization Everytown for Gun Safety, U.S. mass shootings involving an assault weapon account for 25 percent of all mass shooting deaths and 76 percent of mass shooting injuries as of February 28, 2022.

Newsweek has also contacted the NRA through its website portal for comment.

UPDATED 03/28/2023 1:20 p.m. EST: This article was updated with additional context.