Gun Rights Rally Draws 80 At Capitol In Pierre

About 80 people gathered at South Dakota's state Capitol in Pierre on Saturday to show their support for gun rights.

Many of the people carried signs supporting the Second Amendment at the event that took place inside the Capitol Rotunda.

Ed Assman, of Pierre, helped organize the rally. He is a Vietnam War veteran and former law enforcement officer. He says the people attending the event believe that "an armed populace is not a dangerous thing." Assman says he is "100 percent" opposed to the idea of restricting the availability of assault weapons.

Assman says 99 percent of gun owners are law-abiding citizens.

The rally in Pierre was one of several around the country organized by gun rights advocates at state capitols.