A week after the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, as the country continues to debate gun control, CNN held a town hall meeting with students and teachers from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. During the extraordinary two-hour event, members of the Parkland community asked questions on a range of gun control-related topics to Florida Sens. Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio, and Democratic Congressman Ted Deutch, who represents the district the school shooting took place in. National Rifle Association spokesperson Dana Loesch and Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel also answered questions in a separate Q&A session.

The interactions were often raw and searching as the students, teachers, and parents, still grieving from losing friends and classmates, asked the politicians why they were put in this situation in the first place and what they planned to do to prevent future school shootings.

Rep. Ted Deutch: A lot of people have told this community that it's too soon to talk about getting weapons of war out of our communities. "It is not too soon, it is too late for the 17 lives that were lost." https://t.co/cIFakLEhbs #StudentsStandUp https://t.co/mXZlupfLAq — CNN (@CNN) February 22, 2018

Some of the most impassioned appeals and compelling interactions were with Sen. Rubio, who bore the brunt of the crowd’s anger over his party’s unshakable support for the nearly unassailable rights of gun owners. Rubio didn’t bring up the NRA until directly asked and didn’t waver from his underlying support for gun rights, but he appeared far more willing to support several more restrictive gun control measures than he or the GOP has previously been willing to consider.

Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter was killed in Parkland shooting, to Sen. Marco Rubio: “Look at me and tell me guns were the factor in the hunting of our kids ... and you will work with us to do something about guns” https://t.co/puYEwoVG1N #StudentsStandUp https://t.co/AC5Zh2567K — CNN (@CNN) February 22, 2018

Sen. Marco Rubio: “I think all of us would like to see action, but I want to tell you what we’re going to struggle with. We are a nation of people that no longer speak to each other." https://t.co/RCbm3pCJU9 #StudentsStandUp https://t.co/RaABjVqKTd — CNN (@CNN) February 22, 2018

Florida school shooting survivor Cameron Kasky challenges Sen. Marco Rubio: "Can you tell me right now that you will not accept a single donation from the NRA?" https://t.co/LiU42QFBEv #StudentsStandUp https://t.co/p6jlUGFxOs — CNN (@CNN) February 22, 2018

A teacher who sheltered dozens of terrified students during the Florida high school shooting asked why some think it's a good idea that she be armed.



Sen. Marco Rubio responded, "First, I don't support that." https://t.co/DzYzyoXhiF #StudentsStandUp pic.twitter.com/2scIZd7AMz — CNN (@CNN) February 22, 2018

National Rifle Association spokesperson Dana Loesch and Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel followed Rubio, Nelson, and Deutch.

NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch: "This individual was nuts. ... None of us support people who are crazy, who are dangerous to themselves, who are a danger to others, getting their hands on a firearm." https://t.co/V50uSV8IiG #StudentsStandUp https://t.co/P5SiokWN3S — CNN (@CNN) February 22, 2018

Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel to NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch: “You just told this group of people that you are standing up for them. You're not standing up for them until you say, 'I want less weapons'” https://t.co/mTli3fm9tF #StudentsStandUp https://t.co/Buf7EYEDIp — CNN (@CNN) February 22, 2018

A teacher asks the NRA spokeswoman explain how she defines a “well-regulated militia” and how “an 18-year-old with a military rifle" is well-regulated



Dana Loesch: He should have been barred from getting a firearm https://t.co/k8U0ap8QAt #StudentsStandUp https://t.co/XmR7ysiAem — CNN (@CNN) February 22, 2018