Sandy Hook Dad Heckled By Gun Advocates

More heartbreaking news from the Newtown tragedy: a dad who lost his six-year-old son in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was heckled by gun advocates during tearful testimony calling for better gun control.

At the public hearing of the Bipartisan Task Force on Gun Violence Prevention and Children’s Safety in Hartford, CT, Neil Heslin, father of Jesse Lewis, spoke about how firearms like the popular AR-15/M16 rifle were designed to “put a lot of lead out on the battlefield quickly.” When he asked why anyone should be allowed to own a semi-automatic rifle like the one wielded by Adam Lanza, about a dozen protestors answered by shouting about their Second Amendment rights.

Plus: Bill Will Force Parents To Tell Schools About Guns At Home

“I never thought I would be laying him to rest. The happiest day of my life was the day he was born. He is my only son, my only family. The worst day of my life was the day when this happened,” Heslin said, his voice breaking.

He also testified that he grew up with guns and doesn’t believe they should be illegal. Instead, he supports the proposed assault weapons ban and restrictions on high-capacity magazines.

Plus: Children’s Letters on Gun Violence

“That wasn’t just a killing. That was a massacre,” he said. “Those children and those victims were shot apart. And my son was one of them.”

Watch the video and then tell us what you think.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy