Who is Billy Woods? Florida Sheriff goes viral for gun control rant, leaves internet divided

Florida Sheriff Billy Woods' controversial rant about gun control after the arrest of two teenage suspects in a string of shootings in Marion County, went viral on Friday, April 7, 2023. The shootings left three dead. In a press conference, Woods explained that the two boys, 17, and 12, were charged with first-degree murder, while they continued to "hunt" down the third suspect, who is 16.

When questioned about how the teens got hold of the gun, he answered car burglaries and then stated:

"All the gun laws we got in place didn't prevent it, did it? Neither will new ones... the bad guy's gonna get a gun no matter what law you have put in place!"

He further added:

"(You) want to blame the one thing that has no ability or the capacity to commit the crime itself, and that’s the gun. These individuals committed the crime."

Sheriff Billy Woods, who was born and raised in Marion County, worked with the Ocala Police Department (OPD) for over 26 years before becoming the Sheriff. He has been given various awards and commendations for his service, including a Medal of Valor and a Medal of Distinction.

He holds a degree in Criminal Justice Administration/Business Management from Columbia Southern University.

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Sheriff Billy Woods' viral rant leaves internet users split

Twitterati were left either praising or fuming at the Marion County sheriff and took to social media to share their thoughts on the much-debated topic of gun control.

On one hand, many wholeheartedly agreed with his view on gun laws, stating that he sees the crime for what it is and that no amount of regulations will stop people from buying a gun. They called him a "boss" and remarked that more law enforcement officers need to be like him.

A comment supporting the sheriff (Image via Twitter/ @alti90, @ElephantCivics)

A comment supporting the sheriff (Image via Twitter/ @Aczar1Alan)

A comment supporting the sheriff (Image via Twitter/ @MariepConley1)

A comment supporting the sheriff (Image via Twitter/@DaveTexan1)

A comment supporting the sheriff (Image via Twitter/ @JimHornes)

A comment supporting the sheriff (Image via Twitter/ @jojomomo4d)

A comment supporting the sheriff (Image via Twitter/ @M0monAMission)

However, many were taken aback by the praise. They called out Billy Woods for becoming too emotional and giving out his sentiments in a press conference addressing the deaths of three teenagers. They brought up statistics and facts about the crime in the county and laws on gun control to support their criticism of the sheriff.

Here are some comments seen criticizing Sheriff Billy Woods:

A comment criticizing the sheriff (Image via Twitter/ @Michele_Tafoya, @BillyWayneDavis)

A comment criticizing the sheriff (Image via Twitter/ @EdKrassen)

A comment criticizing the sheriff (Image via Twitter /@BluesLouie)

A comment criticizing the sheriff (Image via Twitter/ @ronn214)

A comment criticizing the sheriff (Image via Twitter/ @AthenianWalls)

A comment criticizing the sheriff (Image via Twitter/ @TDouglasXIII)

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According to NBC News, since the year began, there have been 130 mass shootings in the United States and guns have become the leading cause of death among children and teenagers. Gun killings among adolescents went up by 33% from 2019 to 2020.