Roughly a dozen people marched and chanted in Orlando Tuesday, calling for a special session of the Florida Legislature to tackle gun control.

  • Florida Democrats propose bill to give FDLE notice if former or current terror watch list member tries to buy a gun
  • Democrats marched in the area around Pulse Tuesday
  • Entire Florida Legislature to be pulled on special session question

Supporters marched in the area of Pulse nighclub, and stopped Florida Senator President Andy Gardiner’s, R-Orlando, office on Michigan Street to ask for an emergency special session.

Democratic state lawmakers want to pass a bill that would notify the Florida Department of Law Enforcement if someone who is currently or used to be on the FBI Watch List tries to buy a gun.

“Unfortunately, the shooter in the Orlando tragedy was on the FBI Watch List, then he was taken off,” said Florida Sen. Darren Soto, D-Orlando. “Our legislation would give the Florida Department of Law Enforcement additional authority to investigate anybody who is off the list, to make sure that it’s appropriate for them to be able to possess firearms again. In addition it would ban anybody who’s on the list.”

“We feel like FDLE would have had another investigation of the shooter and given us a better chance to stop it,” said State Sen. Darren Soto, D-Orlando. “But I can’t sit here today and say that anything would absolutely stop terrorism, which is why we have to put every law in place that we can while respecting civil liberties.”

Virginia Ekblom joined the nearly-2 mile march Tuesday morning.

“I’m here for my son and for everybody, for humanity. I don’t think this is right,” shared Virginia Ekblom, who marched in the Florida sun on Tuesday morning.

Ekblom said she was more than willing to march in support of a new gun control law.

“Especially since I’m the mother of a 5-year-old son, he has autism. He loves everybody. He doesn’t know the difference between somebody that’s going to hurt him, just because, or somebody that really does love him,” Ekblom said.

On Tuesday state Democratic lawmakers forced a poll of the entire Florida legislature on whether to call a special session on gun control. Ninety-six lawmakers would need to vote yes to bring the session about.

Incoming House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Lutz, called the move by Democrats, “irrational, irresponsible and unstatesmen-like.”

Tallahassee reporter Troy Kinsey contributed to this story.