Days after the Florida school massacre, another school is giving rifles away as prizes

Just days after a school shooting in Florida, one of the deadliest in US history, a school in the state is giving away assault weapons as prizes.

For the 15th annual Trinitas Classic and Pro Am Golf Tournament, the Trinitas Christian Academy in Pensacola, northern Florida, is giving away two rifles as part of the charity event.

The prizes were announced in a now deleted Facebook page in January, but concerns have been raised in the wake of the school shooting in the south of the state which has shocked America.

Teachers and students as young as 14 were shot dead by former Stoneman Douglas High School pupil Nikolas Cruz on 14 February 2018.

He was arrested by police in Florida and later charged with 17 counts of murder.

The fundraiser is set up to help parents to send their children to the private school. The school's website says that the "tuition assistance is provided by many supporters in the community through our annual fund campaign and fundraising events like the Trinitas Classic."

The two weapons up for grabs are the Browning A-BOLT III Stalker, a bolt-action rifle, and a Smith & Wesson M&P15, a type of rifle similar in design to the AR-15 used by Cruz.

Gun laws have been thrust once again to the front and centre of US politics in the wake of this latest mass shooting, the 18th to take place at a school in 2018 and the ninth deadliest shooting in US history.

Although the Trinitas Christian Academy has refused to comment on the fundraiser, USA Today said that they have made it clear that background checks against the winners would be carried out in accordance with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement rules.

The White House has since suggested that tighter background checks were being considered by Donald Trump.

However, reform to gun laws is heavily opposed by the powerful gun lobby, the National Rifle Association (NRA), which has spent millions in funding presidential and congressional campaigns.