El Paso shooting: Anger over Greg Abbott’s ‘meaningless’ response to latest Texas mass shooting
Texas governor Greg Abbott faced backlash for his comments on the shooting at an El Paso mall that killed one person and injured three others.
Police in the West Texas city, where the shooting occurred on Wednesday, said they have arrested two male suspects.
The Cielo Vista Mall in West El Paso is currently on lockdown until investigations conclude, but police said the danger has now passed.
The mall is just a half mile away from the site of a racially-motivated mass shooting that killed 23 people and left 22 more injured in 2019.
After the shooting, Mr Abbott tweeted about the incident and received backlash from several Twitter users.
“I spoke to Mayor Leeser about the shooting tonight in El Paso. l offered the full support of the State of Texas, including the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Division of Emergency Management to help the city of El Paso respond to this tragic event,” tweeted Mr Abbott.
“Thank you to all law enforcement and first responders who quickly went into action to protect their fellow Texans,” he said in a follow-up tweet.
I spoke to Mayor Leeser about the shooting tonight in El Paso. l offered the full support of the State of Texas, including the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Division of Emergency Management to help the city of El Paso respond to this tragic event.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) February 16, 2023
The governor soon received a barrage of angry responses.
“Remember last time when you said you spoke to ‘the mayor’ and you thanked law enforcement because it could have been much ‘worse’. And then you claimed they lied to you. Why don’t you just say nothing. It will seem more genuine,” one user wrote.
Remember last time when you said you spoke to “the mayor” and you thanked law enforcement because it could have been much “worse.” And then you claimed they lied to you. Why don’t you just say nothing. It will seem more genuine.
— Reshma Gopaldas (@reshingbull) February 16, 2023
unless your “full support “ saves or revives lives of our loved ones we don’t want it & it’s not enough. this is no longer about your precious guns/ gun laws , this is about the lives our city has lost. their blood is on your hands , take accountability. https://t.co/FGzHIFmFJJ
— steph 💓 (@yourstrlysteph) February 16, 2023
“You don’t care. Shame on you. You will one day have to answer to the god you claim to believe in,” wrote another user.
Let’s be honest @GovAbbott doesn’t give a damn about communities like mine. He doesn’t want to end gun violence in the state of Texas, he is probably once again decreeing “this could have been worse!”
You promised us change on August 3rd,2019 and you’ve done nothing! https://t.co/AGIYrwDXc0— Wesley Lawrence (@WesleyForElPaso) February 16, 2023
Another user demanded action from Mr Abbott.
“After the Sante Fe High school Shooting claiming 10 Lives you did nothing. After the El Paso Shooting claiming 23 LIVES YOU DID NOTHING. After the Robb Elementary School Shooting claiming 22 Lives YOU DID NOTHING [sic].”
“Full support” means trying to 1) stop them, 2) make them less frequent, and 3) make them less deadly.
We’re in Session. We can do it now.
But instead you’re basically saying El Paso can borrow some stuff. https://t.co/CNzyMXG91r— Diego Bernal (@DiegoBernalTX) February 16, 2023
Yet another Twitter user accused the governor of saying “meaningless” words.
Since Greg Abbott has been in office, he has passed legislation to allow: open carry, campus carry, and permit and training less carry.
It's hard to feel safe anywhere anymore. https://t.co/epqTo3JEjY— Adri Pèrez (@AdriPerezTX) February 16, 2023
“Since Greg Abbott has been in office, he has passed legislation to allow: open carry, campus carry, and permit and training less carry. It’s hard to feel safe anywhere anymore.”
