After Newtown, NRA Ready to Make 'Meaningful Contributions'

After four days of silence, the National Rifle Association, headquartered in Fairfax, Va., released a statement on the tragic shooting in Newtown, Conn., saying it will make "meaningful contributions to help make sure this never happens again."

In a release, the organization begins to explain its silence, saying: "Out of respect for the families, and as a matter of common decency, we have given time for mourning, prayer and a full investigation of the facts before commenting."

Critics had called out the group in the days following the shooting: As citizens and legislators began to fall on either side of a debate about what, if at all, should be done about gun laws, many wondered why the group was absent from the conversation.

Patch submitted a media request with the NRA, which also houses its National Firearms Museum in Fairfax, and has yet to receive comment. The organization released its statement Tuesday to the press. 

The organization announced it will hold a press conference Friday in Washington, D.C. 

More details on Friday's press conference will be released when timing is deemed "appropriate," according to the statement.

The statement comes after both President Barack Obama and Virginia Sen. Mark Warner said they want to tighten gun laws in light of Friday's shootings.

"Enough is enough," said Warner, who has an "A" rating from the NRA.

“I‘ve been a strong supporter of Second Amendment rights,” the Democrat from Alexandria said outside the Virginia Capitol, where he was attending an unrelated meeting, The Washington Post reported Monday.

“But the status quo isn’t acceptable," he continued, as reported by the Post. "There’s got to be a way to put reasonable restrictions, particularly as we look at assault weapons, as we look at these fast clips of ammunition.”

See also:

Sen. Warner: Newtown is 'Game Changer' on Guns

Gov. McDonnell Orders School Safety Review

City Schools Release Letter in Response to Newtown Shootings

Dick’s Suspends Sale of Modern Rifles

Erica R. Hendry and Mary Ann Barton contributed reporting to this story.

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