Fiore says she isn’t going to shoot Syrian refugees

Nevada Assemblywoman and 3rd Congressional District candidate Michele Fiore said Monday that while she does not want Syrian refugees in the United States, she is not going to shoot them.

The clarifying comments came amid an uproar surrounding remarks the Las Vegas Republican made Saturday during her weekly radio program on KDWN.

Fiore said she told Republican strategist Chuck Muth that while she opposed the resettlement of Syrian refugees in Nevada, she was not asked to sign on to a GOP statement on the matter.

"What, are you kidding me? I'm about to fly to Paris and shoot 'em in the head myself," Fiore told a radio audience. "I am not OK with Syrian refugees. I'm not OK with terrorists. I'm OK with putting them down, blacking them out, just put a piece of brass in their ocular cavity and end their miserable life. I'm good with that."

Fiore backed away from those widely reported remarks on Monday, telling the Review-Journal that her comments applied to terrorists and not refugees.

The outspoken gun advocate and two-term assemblywoman made waves with this month's release of a Christmas card featuring herself and several heavily armed family members.

She said if she did mean to harm Syrian refugees, she would have made that intention clearer.

"If I say something I own it and I go for it," Fiore added. "I double down, I don't back down."

Fiore also confirmed that she had entered the race for Nevada's 3rd Congressional District and would not seek re-election to her Assembly seat.

Contact James DeHaven at jdehaven@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3839. Find him on Twitter: @JamesDeHaven