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Father of a Parkland victim arrested after interrupting congressional hearing on guns

Marina Pitofsky, USA TODAY
·2 min read

Manuel Oliver, the father of a teenager killed in the 2018 mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, was arrested on Thursday after attempting to disrupt a congressional hearing on guns.

U.S. Capitol Police confirmed in a statement to USA TODAY that a man was arrested in the Rayburn House Office Building for “crowding, obstructing, or incommoding” around noon. Police alleged that the man refused to stop shouting and attempted to return to the hearing room.

“Anyone who disrupts a Congressional hearing and disregards a law enforcement officer’s orders to stop are going to be arrested,” police said.

“This is a citation release arrest, which means the man was not put in jail. It should be noted that a woman who also disrupted the hearing was not arrested because she followed the lawful directions of our officers," they added.

USA TODAY has reached out to Capitol Police for additional information.

Manuel Oliver, the father of Joaquin Oliver, one of the victims of the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., is removed from the hearing room for disturbing a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, March 23, 2023. With Manuel Oliver is his wife, Patricia Oliver, back left. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) ORG XMIT: DCMC109

During the joint hearing, Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, was referencing laws surrounding guns in Mexico and he argued that guns are tools that can be used to kill people, like vehicles.

Yelling and disruptions can be heard in video of Fallon's remarks. Patricia Oliver said “You took my son away from me, and I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to listen to your absurd things,” the Post reported. 

Outside of the hearing room, video shows multiple officers appear to hold Manuel Oliver to the ground. One of the officers can be heard yelling “Back up, or you’re going to jail next.”

Video was shared by Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., and ABC News reporter Will Steakin.

Later in the hearing, Fallon appeared to criticize the couple, saying “to be that disruptive, and to be that narcissistic, to breach decorum and disruption shouldn’t be applauded.”

Manuel Oliver told the Post that he did not attempt to reenter the hearing room. He alleged that officers told him he would be arrested if he didn’t stop talking.

Patricia Oliver the mother of Joaquin Oliver, one of the victims of the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., is removed from the hearing room on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, March 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) ORG XMIT: DCMC122
Patricia Oliver the mother of Joaquin Oliver, one of the victims of the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., is removed from the hearing room on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, March 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) ORG XMIT: DCMC122

“You can ask me anything, but don’t ask me to stop talking about my son,” Oliver said. “I refuse to go back to my life, because it will never be the same, and just pretend that this is not bothering me.”

Oliver last year interrupted President Joe Biden during an event at the White House marking new legislation targeting gun violence. He could be heard yelling “We have to do more than that” at the event.

Oliver’s son, Joaquin, was one of 17 people killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Father of Parkland victim Joaquin Oliver arrested at Capitol hearing