Isla Vista shooting victim's father rails against NRA

Friday, January 9, 2015
Isla Vista shooting victim's father rails against NRA
The father of Isla Vista massacre victim Veronika Weiss is calling on a grassroots organization to oust the head of the National Rifle Association.

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. (KABC) -- The father of Isla Vista massacre victim Veronika Weiss is calling on Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a grassroots organization, to oust the head of the National Rifle Association.

Bob Weiss says his daughter, who was a standout on the Westlake High School girls water polo team, died a hero after being shot by 22-year-old Elliot Rodger in May. On Thursday, her number was retired on the school's roster.

Rodger, a troubled loner armed with three semi-automatic handguns, stabbed his three roommates to death. He then went on a shooting spree, killing Veronika and two of her UCSB sorority sisters.

What angers Bob Weiss to this day is how easy it was to spray bullets with a 15 round magazine. He says six bullets that hit Veronika were non-lethal, but the seventh bullet killed her.

"Her chances of surviving and the chances of the other girls surviving would have been greater if he had half as many bullets," Weiss said. "He fired off those bullets in 10 seconds."

Weiss wants limits on ammunition and blames, not gun owners, but NRA chief Wayne LaPierre for standing in the way.

"He sacrificed my daughter's rights for his guns privileges," Weiss said.

Weiss says the six Isla Vista deaths did resonant in Sacramento. A law was signed that would impose a 21 day weapons embargo on an individual, such as Rodger, who was making threats to kill.

Reform must continue state-by-state, Weiss says. He has heard the naysayers, those who point out that three victims were stabbed not shot. He believes Rodger had to kill them quietly to avoid being caught.

"We think he may have drugged the boys and stabbed them while they were unconscious," Weiss said.

But what really riles Weiss are the bloggers who claim the Isla Vista massacre never occurred.

"My daughter is dead. I have got her ashes at home. You can come and take a look if you want," he says to them.

It's why he is spreading the word.

"If it can happen in Isla Vista or Aurora or Newtown, it can happen anywhere," he says.