Topline
Democrat Beto O’Rourke upended a press conference about the Texas school shooting by Gov. Greg Abbott (R), his opponent in the upcoming governor’s race, claiming Abbott shared some blame for the tragedy, saying, “This is on you.”
Former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke speaks during the Georgetown to Austin March for Democracy rally
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Key Facts
O’Rourke could be heard saying, according to the Austin American-Statesman, “Until you choose to do something different, this will continue to happen,” before being drowned out by other on-stage officials, including Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), and escorted out by police.
Abbott responded by chiding O’Rourke, and saying people should, “put aside personal agendas, think of somebody other than ourselves, think about the people who are hurt.”
At the press conference, Abbott blamed mental health illness as the problem behind the shooting that left 21 people dead and 17 people injured, though the 18-year-old gunman, Salvador Ramos, had no prior documented mental illness nor a previous criminal record.
Abbott’s record on gun policy has long been criticized by opponents, including a law he signed last year allowing residents to carry guns without a permit.
Key Background
Abbott provided other updates on the shooting, saying a sheriff deputy’s daughter was one of the children that died in the shooting. According to Abbott, Ramos made a Facebook post 30 minutes before the shooting that he was going to shoot his grandmother, followed by a post confirming he shot his grandmother. His third Facebook post, 15 minutes before the shooting, stated he was going to shoot an elementary school, Abbott said.
Further Reading
Here’s What We Know About The Victims Identified In The Texas School Shooting (Forbes)