Elon Musk offered his thoughts on regulating the sale of semi-automatic rifles on Thursday, saying that he believes at the very least “a special permit” should be required for buyers.
The SpaceX and Tesla CEO gave his opinion on Twitter after being asked for his thoughts on the “AR-15 discussion.” His Thursday tweet comes after telling a news outlet on Wednesday that he supports “tight” background checks on people purchasing firearms in the aftermath of a school shooting at an elementary school in Texas that killed 19 children and two adults.
“Assault rifles should at minimum require a special permit, where the recipient is extremely well vetted [in my opinion],” Musk said.
MUSK SAYS HE SUPPORTS ‘TIGHT’ BACKGROUND CHECKS AFTER TEXAS SCHOOL SHOOTING
Musk, 50, told a news outlet on Wednesday that while he “strongly” believes in the right to bear arms, he approves of gun control measures such as more stringent background checks and limiting the sale of certain firearms to gun range owners and people in “high-risk locations.”
On Tuesday, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos stormed Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, with a semi-automatic rifle and killed 21 people, according to authorities. Ramos was shot and killed by a tactical Border Patrol unit, according to authorities.
The shooting hits close to home for Musk, who’s business ventures have strong ties to Texas. Tesla moved its headquarters to Austin from California in 2021 and SpaceX also has facilities in Texas.
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The business tycoon is currently in the process of purchasing Twitter for $44 billion. He hopes to bolster the social media platform’s support of free speech, and he has increasingly commented on political topics.
Last week, Musk said he would vote for Republican candidates in the midterm elections.
