Texas Republican Panned For 'Disgraceful' Pro-Gun Tweet About Austin Shooting
Texas state Rep. Jared Patterson (R) was condemned online Sunday for using a deadly shooting in Austin to promote legislation that would allow Texans to carry guns without a license.
Evil exists in this world. HB 1927 gives law-abiding citizens the ability to fight back, to protect themselves and their families w/out being restricted by the govt.
God bless and comfort those killed and affected by the shooting in Austin today. It’s time for us to fight back.— Rep. Jared Patterson (@JaredLPatterson) April 18, 2021
Three people were shot and killed at an apartment complex in northern Austin. A manhunt was underway late Sunday night for the suspect, a former sheriff’s deputy named Stephen Broderick, 41, who resigned in June after being charged with sexual assault of a child.
Patterson was referring to a bill approved by the state House Thursday that would nix the requirement for Texas residents to have a license to carry handguns if they’re not prohibited by state or federal law from possessing a firearm. Currently, Texans must have a license for concealed and open carry of a handgun, a process that requires ID, submission of fingerprints for criminal background checks and proof of training.
The House’s decision came despite pleas for tighter gun safety laws following a string of mass shootings across the country, including one in Indianapolis Thursday night that left eight people dead at a FedEx facility. The gunman purchased his assault rifles legally, even though he was flagged by the FBI following a disturbing warning from his mother.
There have been four mass shootings in Texas this month.
The fate of the bill now lies with the state Senate and Gov. Dan Patrick (R), who has expressed hesitancy over the measure in the past. Democrats and others opposing the legislation have been pushing for stronger gun safety laws in the state following the 2019 mass shootings in El Paso and Midland-Odessa that left 23 dead and eight people dead, respectively.
Patterson’s tweet prompted a flood of outrage and gun violence statistics:
More death and destruction in Texas today and this "Christ follower" wants more guns. Texas Republicans are the absolute worst. https://t.co/dVKziAMNMi
— Brandon Friedman (@BFriedmanDC) April 18, 2021
Wherein TX State Rep @JaredLPatterson blames shooting victims on the day of a shooting for not "fighting back". Disgraceful representation. @FriscoPD@friscopdchief@FriscoChamber@BSWMCCentennial@MedCityFrisco @DSFHCouncil @Med_City_Health#txlege@momsdemandhttps://t.co/8dW2sGiPu8
— jane the hand washer (@moderatemama) April 18, 2021
Fight back? I just want to LIVE. I shouldn’t have to fight back. You’re part of the evil that exists in this world.
— Myndi Luev (@mynmyn525) April 18, 2021
This most be the dumbest and most dangerous tweet I have read today.
— Survivingnsweatpants (@Mominsweats) April 18, 2021
Agreed; also, Rep. Patterson—I don’t see what HB 1927 has to do with this...
— EricaGrieder (@EricaGrieder) April 18, 2021
Right? My assumption from reporting is that they were at home? Where they can have a gun without a permit already.
But I guess blaming victims is more palatable to them than doing the work of keeping guns from bad guys.— Heather Kennedy (@jollywandering) April 18, 2021
— patti-B-TxMomsDemand (@BrockingtoPatti) April 18, 2021
Texans don’t want to live like this. pic.twitter.com/uutu4XETKT
— Liz Hanks, J.D. (@ehanks2208) April 18, 2021
Imagine a country where the law-abiding citizens don't have to live in constant fear of being shot to death. It's actually not hard to imagine, because it's reality in almost every other country, thanks to gun control laws. It's unbelievable that we don't even try here.
— Dr. Ward Q. Normal (@WardQNormal) April 18, 2021
In today's edition of 'Stuff Jesus Never Said' by Jared, a "Christ follower." (It says so in his bio.) https://t.co/746zj5Ecvx
— John Pavlovitz (@johnpavlovitz) April 19, 2021
Law abiding citizens already had the ability to fight back. They pass background checks, get a CHL, and conceal their guns. They're trained.
You voted to open the flood gates of more gun violence by allowing those that bought sans BGC to bring them everywhere untrained 1/ https://t.co/CMiPtLIxnL— Jennifer Skidonenko (@SkidonenkoForTX) April 18, 2021
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.