Gov. Greg Abbott held a press conference on Wednesday (May 25) to provide updates on Tuesday’s fatal mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde when it was interrupted by his gubernatorial challenger Beto O’Rourke, according to reports from Austin-based media outlets.
The press conference was held in Uvalde, a city of 16,000 people that’s about 84 miles west of San Antonio, just about 24 hours after an 18-year-old man opened fire at the school and killed over 20 people, including 19 students.
Austin ABC affiliate KVUE reported that the governor, a Republican, had just completed his opening remarks when O’Rourke, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives, barged in and took to the stage.
The station reported that the Democratic nominee for the race for the state’s highest office shouted at Abbott, demanding the governor make some changes in regard to gun policy.
O’Rourke purportedly pinned responsibility for the shooting on Abbott, drawing jeers from several of the attendees.
Abbott and O’Rourke exchanged words until the latter was escorted out of the presser, KVUE reported.
“He’s refused to support a ban on AR-15s and AK-47s,” O’Rourke said after he was removed, per the station. “Why are we letting this happen in our country? Why are we letting this happen in this state? Year after year, we refuse to do something. I will do something. We could’ve stopped this if we stood up after Sante [sic] Fe and El Paso. We will stop the next one.”
The ex-presidential aspirant was referring to what was previously the worst school shooting in Texas history in 2018 and a fatal shooting at a Walmart in his hometown a year later.
Abbott insinuated that O’Rourke’s alleged stunt wasn’t helping the situation.
“There’s no words that anybody shouting can come up here and do anything to heal those broken hearts,” the governor said, Austin NBC affiliate KXAN reported.
The governor appealed for all Texans to lift the victims and the Uvalde community up in prayer on Tuesday.
“[First Lady] Cecilia [Abbott] and I mourn this horrific loss [and] urge all Texans to come together,” he said in a tweet after the tragedy unfolded.
