Texas Gov Greg Abbott tweeted in 2015 that he was ’embarrassed’ that Texas was No. 2 in gun purchases and told Texans to ‘pick up the pace’

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A 7-year-old tweet on gun ownership by Texas Governor Greg Abbott has resurfaced in light of an elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday that left at least 19 children and two adults dead.

“I’m EMBARRASSED: Texas #2 in nation for new gun purchases, behind CALIFORNIA. Let’s pick up the pace Texans,” Texas Governor Greg Abbott tweeted in October 2015, with a link to a blog article about Texas ordering 1 million guns that year.

Critics of the Republican governor, who is running for a third term this year, have flooded the tweet with posts about the shooting at Robb Elementary School — the deadliest attack on an elementary school since Sandy Hook in 2012.

Abbott has been a staunch defender of gun rights since he took office in 2015. He signed a wide-ranging state law in 2021 that allows Texans to carry handguns without licenses, essentially permitting anyone over the age of 21 to carry one.

On Tuesday, the governor released a statement condemning the Robb Elementary School shooting as a “senseless crime.”

“Cecilia and I mourn this horrific loss and urge all Texans to come together to show our unwavering support to all who are suffering,” his statement read. “We thank the courageous first responders who worked to finally secure Robb Elementary School.”

Abbott identified the shooting suspect, who was shot dead by authorities during the attack, as an 18-year-old local resident. Authorities said the suspect purchased two AR-15-style rifles the day after his 18th birthday and brought them to the school, per the Houston Chronicle.

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