Elon Musk says he 'strongly' believes in the Second Amendment the day after Robb Elementary shooting but said there should be 'tight background checks'

• Elon Musk says that the Second Amendment is necessary in case of government tyranny.
• His statements come the day after a mass shooting at a Texas elementary school.

The day after the deadliest elementary school shooting since Sandy Hook, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has stated that he believes in the Second Amendment right to bear arms, but argues that individuals should undergo "tight background checks" before purchasing a gun, CNBC reported.

"I strongly believe that the right to bear arms is an important safeguard against potential tyranny of government. Historically, maintaining their power over the people is why those in power did not allow public ownership of guns," Musk told CNBC via email.

On top of "tight background checks," Musk told the outlet that gun sales of assault rifles should be limited to gun range owners and those that reside in a "high-risk location, like gang warfare."

Musk also argued that the media is giving "mass murderers" the attention they're seeking by continuing to report on shootings.

The Robb Elementary School shooting on Tuesday in Uvalde, Texas, left at least 21 people, including 19 children, dead.

Two of Musk's companies — Tesla and SpaceX — have locations in Texas, where the shooting occurred. One of his companies has had a run-in with gun violence too.

At a Tesla factory in Fremont, California, one worker fatally shot another in December 2021, Insider reported.