For the second time since Tuesday’s (May 24) Robb Elementary School mass shooting, Gov. Greg Abbott was interrupted by another Texas Democratic politician.
Austin ABC affiliate KVUE reported that State Sen. Roland Gutierrez (D-San Antonio) stood up during the Q&A portion of Abbott’s press conference in Uvalde on Friday (May 27) to demand the governor hold a special session.
“We’ve asked for gun control changes,” Gutierrez said, per the station. “I’m asking you now to bring us back in three weeks.”
More than a dozen students and two teachers at Robb lost their lives in the shooting that took place as Texans were casting their ballots in the party primaries.
The alleged shooter, an 18-year-old Uvalde resident named Salvador Ramos, also died, fatally shot by police who responded to the scene.
According to KVUE, Gutierrez made an apology for speaking out of turn but insisted it wasn’t a political stunt.
“I don’t know how to express the loss of the families that I’ve talked to,” the senator said, the station reported. “And I know you feel it too. And we have to do something, man. Your own colleagues are telling me, calling me and telling me an 18-year-old shouldn’t have a gun. This is enough. Call us back, man.”
Gutierrez then exited the venue, per KVUE.
Two days before Gutierrez called on the governor to have a special session, the Democratic aspirant for the highest office in the state, Beto O’Rourke, barged in on a press conference, took to the stage and loudly demanded Abbott make some changes in regard to gun policy, according to KVUE, the Austin Journal reported.
O’Rourke purportedly pinned responsibility for the shooting on Abbott, drawing jeers from several of the attendees.
The ex-member of the U.S. House of Representatives exchanged words with the governor until the former was escorted out of the presser.
