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The maker of a rifle used in the Texas shooting has a history of controversial gun ads.

2022-05-31T14:20:59.321Z


One of the Uvalde, Texas shooter's AR15-style rifles was made by Daniel Defense, a company with controversial gun ads.


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(CNN) --

When users visit the website of firearms manufacturer Daniel Defense, a pop-up appears expressing condolences to the victims of the Uvalde, Texas, shooting that left 19 children and two adults dead. .

"We understand that the firearm used in the attack was manufactured by Daniel Defense," the website states.

"We will cooperate with all federal, state and local law enforcement authorities in their investigations."

Days before the shooting, the Georgia-based company tweeted a provocative image of a young boy holding an assault weapon with the caption: "Raise a child in the way he should go, and when he grows up he will not turn from it." .

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The company, founded by Marty Daniel, is now under the scrutiny of politicians and activists seeking to change gun laws so civilians don't have easy access to military-style weapons.

The US House Oversight and Reform Committee is asking Daniel Defense to provide information such as how much they spend on advertising, their gross receipts from the sale of assault rifles and other items before their hearing on March 8. June that will "examine the root cause of gun violence and assess measures to prevent further loss of life from firearms."

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Daniel Defense has since deleted the boy's tweet — which used the language of Proverbs 22:6 from the Bible — but since its founding in 2000, the company has made headlines numerous times for the way it advertises its weapons. to customers.

Salvador Ramos, the man who carried out the shooting in Uvalde, was one of those users.

Investigators found one of the suspect's AR15-style rifles, made by Daniel Defense, at the school, according to Texas State Sen. John Whitmire, who received a tip from law enforcement.

CNN has reached out to Daniel Defense for comment but has not received a response.

Daniel Defense takes pride in building his own pieces

Marty Daniel founded his company when he "got the gun bug," according to a timeline of the company's history.

After graduating from Georgia Southern University with a degree in Electrical Engineering, Daniel opened a swing door and fireplace business.

His firearms business started because a friend invited him to shoot his AR, the site says.

"Every shot he fired filled him with a satisfaction he had never experienced before," the website states.

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In the more than 20 years since its founding, Daniel Defense has presented itself as a company that prides itself on manufacturing "nearly every component it sells," according to its website.

On its "company values" page, the company says that building your own parts "sets us apart from many industry players who basically assemble rather than build their products."

"We love building big guns," said Marty Daniel in a 2019 ad.

The NFL did not allow a Daniel Defense ad during the Super Bowl

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The NFL refused to allow a Daniel Defense ad to air during Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014 because it promoted guns.

The ad focused on a man who returns home to his wife and his baby.

"I am responsible for their protection, and no one has the right to tell me how to defend them," says the man in the ad in a voiceover.

"So I chose the most effective tool for that task," ends the ad with the Daniel Defense logo.

Although it never aired during the Super Bowl, Marty Daniel turned rejection into an outpouring of attention.

"Most Super Bowl fans have the same values ​​that we have at Daniel Defense and that is that we believe in protecting our families," Daniel told Fox News at the time.

Gun control activists argue that the company is targeting younger customers with nods to pop culture icons and video games.

At the same time, Daniel seems to target and focus his comments on older Americans and gun control.

"Those who are against the Second Amendment are just looking for any excuse to ban guns any way they can," Daniel told OutdoorHub in 2016.

But the company has shied away from the spotlight after the Uvalde shooting.

Daniel Defense did not attend the National Rifle Association (NRA) convention last week.

It was the first annual meeting of the gun lobby in three years due to the covid-19 pandemic.

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"Daniel Defense is not attending the NRA meeting due to the horrific tragedy in Uvalde, Texas, where one of our products was criminally misused," Steve Reed, the company's vice president of marketing, said in a statement.

"We feel this week is not the right time to promote our products in Texas at the NRA meeting."

The company's exhibition space was occupied by a popcorn cart and a baked potato stand.

CNN's David Goldman contributed to this report.

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Source: cnnespanol

All news articles on 2022-05-31

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