SALT LAKE CITY -- More than 1,000 concerned Utahns gathered on the south steps of the Utah Capitol to participate in a Gun Appreciation Day rally coordinated by Guns Across America.
Guns Across America held similar rallies in other cities throughout the U.S. as part of a national demonstration supporting gun rights.
Trenton Weekes said he attended the event because it's an issue he feels strongly about.
"Well, I've just been tired of standing by and watching it happen without me, so I wanted to stand up and be counted," he said.
The event was in response to President Obama calling for bans on the manufacture of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, as well as other gun control measures. While the president's goal is to prevent another incident like the one at Sandy Hook Elementary, some Utahns, like Aaron Krausch from Cedar Valley, believe solutions lie elsewhere.
"I want teachers to carry guns," he said. "Because if people like teachers have guns, there won't be any more shootings."
While some Utahns protested at home, others took a different approach. Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker was in Washington D.C. with Vice President Joe Biden and others to call for stricter gun control measures. Becker said Utah should move beyond the rhetoric and consider reasonable measures.
