Texas governor feels political heat in wake of school shooting rampage
UVALDE, Texas - - Even an informational press conference showed the rancor and divisiveness over what to do about guns.
At an early afternoon press conference in Uvalde, Texas on Wednesday, Gov. Greg Abbott and a host of other officials released detailed information on the shooting and the shooter.
Before offering a long list of victim assistance agencies, with great emotion, Abbott said, "It is intolerable and it is unacceptable for us to have in the state, anybody who would kill little kids in our schools."
Not long into the press conference, former Texas congressman and gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke interrupted the press conference.
"You're offering us nothing," O'Rourke said.
An angry guard shouted back, "Sir, you're out of line. Sir, you're out of line. Please leave this auditorium."
The Governor joined in and replied, "We need to focus not on ourselves and our agendas. We need to focus on the healing and hope to those who have suffered unconscionable damage to their lives and loss of life."
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Lt. Governor Dan Patrick also joined in, saying, "Can we not be a nation that can stand together for at least a day or a week or a month?"
Abbot said that Tuesday morning, a half-hour before the school shooting, 18-year-old Salvador Romas, initially sent out a Facebook post that said he would shoot his grandmother. Soon thereafter, he posted that he had done so. Shortly after, Romas posted he would shoot an elementary school.
About a mile away from the school, using his grandmother's car, he crashed but continued on foot to the Robb Elementary School carrying his recently, legally purchased AR-15 assault rifle and a backpack.
On the school property, Romas was confronted by one or two district police officers as he was heading into the building. But, the shooter gained entrance to the school by a back door and took over a connected double classroom where the children and their teachers were.
When police tried to enter, two officers were wounded by the shooter's gunfire. A Border patrol agent gained access to the classroom and killed the shooter, too late to save the 19 children and two teachers to the shock and horror of everyone.
The inevitable question came up about loose gun purchasing laws in Texas. The governor countered with blue states, New York, Illinois, and California that have tough gun laws.
"People who think that maybe we just implement tougher gun laws is going to solve it. Chicago and L.A. and New York disprove that thesis," said Abbott.
Abbott proposed additional school security, but not gun control.