The Odessa, Texas shooter who killed seven and wounded at least 25 had failed a background check prior to getting fired from his job, commandeering a postal van, and shooting random motorists over a 10-mile stretch.
And Texas Gov. Greg Abbott appears to be posing a question — how’d the 36-year-old acquire an AR-style rifle despite a criminal history and his declination to register for a background check upon its purchase?
Greg is certainly pro-2nd Amendment: In light of the murders in El Paso, the Republican signed new legislation loosening gun restrictions in the state (here).
Texas Gov. Abbott on the issue of gun violence after El Paso mass shooting attack: "I think we need to focus more on memorials before we start the politics." https://t.co/HV7Nn4MSVz pic.twitter.com/ZQ8amuS1SQ
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) August 4, 2019
He also once tweeted that he was “embarrassed” by Texas falling behind the West Coast in gun purchases:
I'm EMBARRASSED: Texas #2 in nation for new gun purchases, behind CALIFORNIA. Let's pick up the pace Texans. @NRA https://t.co/Ry2GInbS1g
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) October 28, 2015
Saturday’s killer helped pick up that pace, and Greg noted the failure of procedure to stop it:
Not only did the Odessa gunman have a criminal history…
…he also previously failed a gun purchase background check in Texas…
…& he didn’t go thru a background check for the gun he used in Odessa.
We must keep guns out of criminals’ hands. https://t.co/vgrqcHtBtF
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) September 2, 2019
Saturday shooter Seth Ator had pleaded guilty to criminal trespassing and evading arrest in 2001; but those were only non-domestic-violence misdemeanor counts — they don’t prevent legal firearm ownership.
Yet, as reported by Reuters:
Ator was rejected when he tried to buy a gun and his name was run through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, John Wester, assistant special agent in charge of the Dallas office of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, told a news conference.
Authorities could not immediately say how he obtained a firearm, Wester added.
It also was not immediately clear when or why he had failed the background check. Online court records showed Ator had convictions in 2002 for criminal trespass and evading arrest.
Some responded to Governor Greg’s tweet with anti-NRA adversity:
Gee, Greg. How about doing something like close the background loopholes for private sales??? 🙄🖕🏼
— Ex Texan, Y’all (@texasdemyall) September 2, 2019
Gee, Greg. How about doing something like close the background loopholes for private sales??? 🙄🖕🏼
— Ex Texan, Y’all (@texasdemyall) September 2, 2019
As we have been SCREAMING… DO FCKN SOMETHING..Dump the NRA donations for starters..ban PVT GUN SHOWS..BAN ASSAULT WEAPONS
— DeLiz (@DelizDear) September 2, 2019
In other words:
This massacre has been brought to you by the @NRA and the @GOP.
— Almost Exvangelical (@a_j_stansbury) September 2, 2019
So, background checks work and the government needs to close all the loopholes…thanks for agreeing with all of us who have been screaming about this.
Now do your damn job.
— L S #KHive Fleming ⚖️ (@MaggieDog01) September 2, 2019
A perfect reason all weapons should be registered and reported when sold just like a motor vehicle! If something isn’t done there will be more innocent bloodshed and it will continue to be the republicans problem! Listen to the people you work for! Not the NRA!
— Clinton Walker (@clintontwalker2) September 2, 2019
On Sunday, President Trump downplayed the ability of background checks to stop evil:
“We are in the process of dealing with Democrats and Republicans, and there’s a big package of things that’s going to be put before them by a lot of different people I’ve been speaking to a lot of senators, a lot of house members, Republicans, Democrats — this really hasn’t changed anything, we’re doing a package and we’ll see how it comes about. That’s irrespective of what happened yesterday in Texas.
“Over the last five, six, or seven years, no matter how strong you need the background checks, it wouldn’t have stopped any of it.”
One thing’s for certain: No legislation changes what is common sense — only law-abiding citizens are stopped by laws.
New rules on the books can keep guns out of the hands of innocent victims; let’s check that box and move on. Now how do you keep them away from the criminals?
-ALEX
Relevant RedState links in this article: here.
See 3 more pieces from me:
A Pro-2nd Amendment Group Sues California Over Its Ban Of So-Called Assault Weapons
Find all my RedState work here.
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