Following the murders of 17 people at a South Florida high school, a planned fundraiser featuring Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., has canceled plans to offer an AR-15 rifle as a door prize, Politico reports.
The rifle is the same style of weapon used in last week's shooting spree at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, according to the website.
The Stevens County Republican Party dropped plans for the rifle after a Politico story detailing the planned fundraiser in northeast Washington state.
The decision came after Nikolas Cruz, 19, was charged with 17 premeditated murders at the school.
"We want the public to understand that the plan to once again offer this popular item was made prior to the terrible incident in Parkland, Florida, and our initial public advertisement of this event began several days before the shooting," said Stevens County Republican Central Committee chair Lori Larsen.
"We grieve with the community and the nation. We stand by the 2nd Amendment, but we also recognize that in the current environment, publicizing a means to acquire a semi-automatic AR-15 has the potential to insert more separation into our political discourse.
"Therefore, we have decided we will not be including this firearm at our event; instead the winner of our final door prize will receive a gift certificate to a local business."
A spokeswoman for McMorris Rodgers added: "We support the decision made by the local Republican leadership in Stevens County."
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