Rep. Pearson gets heated during gun control hearing at Capitol
Mar 26, 2025
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Tennessee Rep. Justin J. Pearson (D-Memphis) confronted Rep. Andrew Farmer (R-Sevierville) during a House subcommittee hearing on gun measures in Nashville on Wednesday.
Video from our sister station WKRN in Nashville shows Pearson being held back from Farmer by multiple people
after negative comments were allegedly made alluding to his brother who died in December of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Rep. Pearson was presenting his bill on ending permit-less carry, which lawmakers shut down. Reporters in attendance say Pearson made a comment about how real work was not being done to end the gun violence epidemic.
Rep. Farmer then said that they had been working during this session and mentioned that Pearson had been absent.
"I know every member in this committee has been here this year working during committee, during session, voting on bills. And I know you may have some things going on, but you have not. So, I don't think it's fair for you to come in front of this committee and lecture us on hard work and convictions, and hard work for our committee," said Rep. Farmer.
Pearson responded that his absence was due to his brother's death by gun suicide.
"It is a pathetic excuse for you to not answer the question of why we are doing nothing about the gun violence epidemic, then to personally attack me. But let me explain to you what I have been doing... since you asked. My brother... one of the loves of my life passed away from gun suicide," said Rep. Pearson.
"And since that happened, it shattered my family like gun violence has shattered so many families... I buried my brother. I planned for his entire funeral, my fiancée made his obituary, I made sure that he was taken care of - even in death. That's what I've been doing," Pearson said.
A WKRN reporter says Pearson was seen yelling and telling Farmer to "learn when to shut up." He then physically charged at Farmer and had to be restrained.
Pearson left the meeting after the altercation.
WREG is reaching out to Rep. Pearson's campaign for a statement. ...read more read less
