Debates over gun control laws continue

LACKAWANNA, N.Y. (WIVB) - Gun control laws are still one of the hottest topics in America, this time the debate was between SCOPE’s Chairman of the board Budd Schroeder, and former Erie County Democratic Chairman, Steve Pigeon.

Thursday night in Lackawanna, the two men discussed several issues one in being Sandy Hook Elementary. 

Schroeder agreed that if someone murders a first person responder, the charge should be murder in the 1st degree.

“The right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed,' and obviously [Governor Andrew Cuomo] hasn't gone through the dictionary to get the proper definition of the term, 'infringed,” said Schroeder.

It’s an issue that seems to be dividing the country, and it’s no more apparent than in New York State where some of the toughest gun control laws in the Country were recently passed.

“Remember, in that original Constitution, it talked about a regulated militia. And Thomas Jefferson, who wrote [the Second] Amendment, said it needed to be looked at every 20 years,” Pigeon said.

A point both sides agreed on was that more actions have to be taken on the issue of mental health.

Once the subject of Sandy Hook Elementary came up, their different opinions stood out.

Schroeder is in favor of gun rights while Pigeon defends them.

They disagreed with one another when it comes down to whether or not a tighter assault weapons ban could have helped during the Sandy Hook incident.