NEOSHO, MO (KODE/CNN) – The mayor of a southwest Missouri city is defending a youth baseball team’s decision to move forward with the raffle of an AR-15, even after the same model was used in the Parkland, FL, school shooting.
The Neosho Wildcat travel baseball team, which includes boys from ages 7 to 9, is raffling off an AR-15 to raise money for the season’s traveling expenses.
The raffle was organized before the Feb. 14 school shooting in Parkland, in which an AR-15 was used to kill 17 people.
Neosho Mayor Ben Baker says the timing is unfortunate, but he supports the raffle and thinks opposition to it is coming from people who live elsewhere.
"They've been overwhelmed with a lot of positive support. I mean, the majority of it in this area is almost all the people are in support,” Baker said.
Baker says gun raffles are not uncommon in the area and that AR-15s are perfect hunting rifles. He adds his children shoot with them.
The rifle is being provided by Black Rain Ordnance, a local gun manufacturer. The father of one of the players is a co-founder of the company.
The company says the winner of the raffle must be at least 18 years old, provide proof of their identity and pass a background check before they can claim the prize.
The baseball team is a summer travel team that is not associated with the school district. It requires donations and fundraisers to cover expenses.
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