The National Rifle Association hit back on Friday at Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel after accused NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch of "not standing up" for the survivors of the school shooting that took place last week in Parkland, Fla.

"No Sheriff Israel you were the one that didn't PROTECT these children and that is your job. You run the largest fully accredited sheriff's office in the United States, yet your office failed this community," the NRA said from its verified Twitter account.

No Sheriff Israel you were the one that didn’t PROTECT these children and that is your job. You run the largest fully accredited sheriff's office in the United States, yet your office failed this community. https://t.co/lauyeNedob — NRA (@NRA) February 23, 2018



Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students questioned lawmakers and the NRA on Wednesday during a gun town hall hosted by CNN in Sunrise, Fla.

During the town hall, Israel told Loesch that she wasn't "standing up for the students" affected by the massacre.

"You just told this group of people that you are standing up for them," Israel told Loesch. "You're not standing up for them, until you say I want less weapons."

The town hall came one week after a shooter used a semi-automatic AR-15-style rifle and killed 17 people and injured more than a dozen more. Nikolas Cruz, the 19-year-old suspect, is in custody and faces 17 counts of premeditated murder.

Up to four Broward County Sheriff’s deputies reportedly failed to enter school during the shooting, including Scot Peterson, who served as the armed school resource officer.