In an appearance on “CBS This Morning” Friday, Republican presidential hopeful Marco Rubio said that mass shootings -- like the one in California on Wednesday -- would not have been prevented by expanded background checks for gun purchasers.
“None of these crimes that have been committed – or, in this case, what I believe is a terror attack in California -- would have been prevented by the expanded background checks,” said the Florida senator.
“The fact of the matter is, these individuals [in California] would have passed background checks,” Rubio argued.
"This terrorist that was able to access these weapons is not someone that would have wound up in any database, and this is one of the risks of home-grown violent extremism. These are not people that have done anything before who suddenly become radicalized and within months are taking action," Rubio said.
He went on, “None of the major shootings that have occurred in this country over the last few months or years that have outraged us would gun laws have prevented them.”
For the rest of Sen. Rubio's take, watch the video clip below.