After Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) declared a state of emergency on Thursday morning, the National Rifle Association decided to cancel its annual membership meeting scheduled for April 16 to 19 in Nashville.
There are at least 18 cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus in Tennessee, and Lee declared a state of emergency in order to hasten the state's response to the outbreak.
In a statement released Thursday evening, the NRA said it wasn't easy to call off the meeting amid coronavirus fears, but the organization was "ultimately guided by our responsibility to help ensure the safety and well-being of our NRA members, guests, and surrounding community."
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