UVALDE, Texas – Emotions were high at a press conference Wednesday held almost 24 hours after 21 innocent lives were lost in a mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. The briefing was being held by Texas Governor Greg Abbott when he was confronted by Democratic gubernatorial opponent, Beto O’ Rourke.
Just as Abbott was introducing Lt. Gov Dan Patrick, O’ Rourke interrupted, telling the governor that another shooting was bound to happen if nothing is done.
O’ Rourke’s words were inaudible at times, as Patrick and others on the stage yelled at him.
“You are out of line and an embarrassment,” Patrick could be heard saying.
“You’re doing nothing,” O’Rourke shouted. “This is totally predictable!”
“He needs to get his ass out of here and this isn’t the place,” another man sitting onstage with Abbott shouted. “I can’t believe you are a sick son-of-a-bitch that would come to a deal like this to make a political issue!”
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Police escorted O’Rourke out of the building, as the governor continued.
Abbott stressed that there were family members currently mourning the loss of their loved ones and no words being shouted by anyone can heal those broken hearts.
“Every Texan, every American, has a responsibility where we need to focus, not on ourselves and our agendas. We need to focus on the healing and hope that we can provide to those who have suffered unconscionable damage to their lives and loss of life,” Abbott said. “We need all Texans, in this one moment in time, to put aside personal agendas. Think of someone other than ourselves. Think about the people who are hurt and help those who have been hurt.”
Outside, O’Rourke continued to state his position.
Here are a few of his statements:
“We’ve got to stand up to this or we just accept this theater and business as usual and we accept the next shooting. We could’ve stopped this if we had stood up after Santa Fe High School, if we had stood up after El Paso. We are going to stop the next one. We are standing up right here in Uvalde, Texas right now. That’s why I’m here. That’s what the people of Texas want right now. That’s what we’re going to focus on.”
“This one is on all of us. It’s on every single one of us to do something. I’m here to stand up for the people of Texas.”
“We are 50th in the nation in mental health care access, 50th. There are only 50 states in the nation. We are dead last. The number one provider of mental health care services under Gregg Abbott in the state of Texas is the county jail system. The largest inpatient mental health care facility in the state of Texas is the Harris County jail in downtown Houston, Texas”
“He’s [Abbott] refused to expand Medicaid, which would bring $10 billion dollars a year, including mental healthcare access for people who need it. He’s refused to champion red flag laws. When somebody says that they are having trouble, that they may kill somebody, that they may kill themselves, a red flag law would protect the public. He’s refused to support safe storage laws so young people cannot get their hands on their parents’ guns. He’s refused to support a band on AR-15s and AK-47s. This 18-year-old who just turned 18 bought an AR-15 and took it into an elementary school and shot kids in the face and killed them.”
“Why are we letting this happen in this country?!”
“Why is this happening in this state year after year, city after city?”
“We owe those parents our prayers and I’m praying for them and I’ve called them and I’ve talked to them today. We owe them are help and assistance. We’ll do everything we can to raise resources for them to make sure that we pay for funerals or any needs that they may have but we owe those parents action”
“I’ve talked to the parents in El Paso, I’ve talked to the parents in Santa Fe High School, I’ve talked to the parents in Midland, Odessa. They want us to do something right now.”
“I want us to do something right now. We can do something right now. But if we continue to accept this then this is on us, it’s not just the governor’s fault. It is on us. I’m not going to accept I so I’m here. I’m calling attention to this and I’m asking all Texans of good conscience, and I could care less if you’re a republican, a democrat, or an independent to stand up right now for yourself, for your kids, for your families and to stop the next shooting just like this one.”