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Jay Leno has canceled a performance at a big gun show in response to the criticism of several anti-gun groups.

The Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT) event where Leno was scheduled to appear in January is sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, which is based in Newtown, Connecticut.

"I'm not sure if Jay Leno has done his research and understands that NSSF is the corporate gun lobby and they spend a significant amount of money to lobby congressional leaders to not pass significant gun reform legislation," Newtown Action Alliance chairman Po Murray told Mother Jones magazine. "It's a disheartening as a Newtown resident to see him make this appearance at the SHOT Show. So we're urging him to cancel his appearance."

After canceling his appearance, Leno told Mother Jones: "I understand it's Newtown, and of course I get it. It's just sometimes, mistakes get made."

The NSFF released a statement after Leno backed out of the gig.

“We are clearly disappointed by Jay Leno's decision not to perform at the 2015 SHOT Show State of the Industry Dinner. He unilaterally cancelled his promised appearance due to pressure from the anti-gun lobby, which included false statements about our industry and its commitment to genuine firearms safety, which we attempted to personally correct with him, but to no avail.

“We are not deterred by their publicity seeking nor are we unfamiliar with the bullying political tactics of the gun control groups that seem to have as little respect for the First Amendment as they continually demonstrate with regard to the Second Amendment.”

Adam Lanza killed 20 children and six staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown on December 14, 2012, before committing suicide. The massacre sparked a national debate on gun control.

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