“Sick bastard”: This is how a Democrat is insulted at a press conference on the deadly rampage in Texas. Reason for the scandal: the issue of weapons. Emotions run high.
The political dispute over stricter gun laws erupted after the deadly massacre at an elementary school in the US state of Texas. At a press conference with the Republican governor of the state, Greg Abbott, there was a scandal.
Democrat Beto O’Rourke interrupted the event and criticized Abbott for his stance on gun laws. US President Joe Biden again complained about the extent of gun violence and announced that he wanted to visit the affected community. Meanwhile, the broadcaster CNN reported that the shooter had had contact with a girl from Germany shortly before the crime.
Bloodbath press conference
Abbott and other officials for the first time gave detailed information about the bloodbath at Robb Elementary School at the press conference in the small town of Uvalde. A gunman killed 19 children and two teachers there on Tuesday before being shot dead by police. According to investigators, the 18-year-old had bought two assault rifles and ammunition in a shop within a few days in March. He had previously announced his act on Facebook, Abbott said.
The broadcaster CNN reported that the shooter also sent text messages to a girl from Germany shortly before the massacre. The 15-year-old is said to have been in contact with the shooter since the beginning of May, as the broadcaster reported, citing chat logs and a conversation with the teenager from Frankfurt am Main. According to the broadcaster, the shooter also sent videos of himself to the girl. “He looked happy and comfortable talking to me,” CNN quoted the girl as saying.
Shortly before the crime, he is said to have complained about his grandmother via text message. Then he told the girl that he had shot the 66-year-old in the head. The woman survived. The shooter then wrote to the girl saying he wanted to shoot herself in an elementary school, according to CNN. That was the last message to the girl in Germany. “Every time I spoke to him, he never had any plans with his friends,” the girl said, according to CNN. The shooter’s grandfather told ABC that his grandson didn’t talk much. “He was very calm.”
Debate on gun laws
Meanwhile, the debate over stricter gun laws in the United States continues to boil over. At the press conference with Republican Abbott in Uvalde, there were even verbal failures. Democrat O’Rourke was in the audience during the event and accused the Republican of not doing anything about rampant gun violence in the United States. The 49-year-old wants to run against Abbott in the next Texas gubernatorial election in November. Abbott did not respond to the allegations, while other officials called O’Rourke to order and ordered him to leave the room.
A man called out to O’Rourke, “You’re out of the ordinary and you’re embarrassing.” Another man savagely berated the Democrat, saying, “I can’t believe you’re some sick bastard trying to make a political issue out of something like this.” O’Rourke left the room after the verbal altercation. “We can do something,” he said afterwards, visibly upset in front of the cameras. Abbott cares more about his political career than the people of Texas. “It’s disturbed,” O’Rourke exclaimed.
In the press conference, Abbott did not attribute these and similar acts to easy access to weapons, but to an increase in mental illness. He also praised the police, noting, “The reality is, as terrible as what happened, it could have been worse.” The 64-year-old is an outspoken supporter of loose gun laws. The gun lobby organization National Rifle Association (NRA) is planning its annual meeting in Texas this Friday. Biden’s Republican predecessor, Donald Trump, is also scheduled to speak at the Houston meeting.
A tightening of gun laws in the USA has failed for many years due to a fundamental disagreement between Democrats and Republicans on this issue. While many Democrats have long called for a substantial tightening of gun laws in the country, many Republicans vehemently oppose it. “I’m just fed up with what’s going on,” Biden said on Wednesday, once again campaigning for gun law reform in the country. Many changes could make a difference without adversely affecting the Second Amendment.
Gun Laws in the USA
The right to own guns in the United States is enshrined in the Constitution. The corresponding passage dates from the 18th century. Biden emphasized that certain weapons did not exist when the Second Amendment was passed. The fact that an 18-year-old can simply go into a shop to buy weapons of war is not correct. “It’s against common sense.” The US President announced that he wanted to travel to Texas with his wife Jill “in the next few days” and meet with families there.
An incident in the Texas city of Richardson also caused a stir on Wednesday. Police were informed of a youth who was walking towards a school with guns. The suspected student was eventually picked up by the police at school – but no weapons were found on him, a statement said. However, officers found guns in the trunk of the suspect’s car in the parking lot. The teenager was arrested – the police did not give any further details.
