Texas schools have been adding metal detectors and armed personnel in an effort to improve campus security in response to the deadly May attack at a Houston-area high school that left eight students and two teachers dead.
Among the steps that Texas apparently won’t be taking anytime soon is tightening restrictions on gun access for people deemed dangerous to themselves or others.
In the aftermath of the May 18 attack at Santa Fe High School, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott suggested that Texas should look for ways to keep guns away from people who pose “an immediate danger to others,” which is the point of so-called red flag laws like those passed by six states since the February massacre at a high school in Parkland, Florida.
But faced with criticism from gun enthusiasts in the country’s largest conservative state, Abbott — who gets top ratings from the National Rifle Association — later clarified that he was only suggesting such laws be part of a broader conversation about school security and that he thinks there’s growing opposition to the idea of gun restrictions.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presides over the Texas Senate, was even more forceful.
“I have never supported these policies, nor has the majority of the Texas Senate,” he said minutes after the last in a series of state Senate hearings on gun violence.
The one-two punch by the state’s top Republicans drew cheers from gun rights advocates in a state that has more than 1.2 million handgun license holders and allows the open carry in public of handguns and long rifles.- READ MORE
[divider][/divider]According to WFTV, the incident occurred in Titusville on Saturday. During a gathering organized for area families, a fist fight apparently broke out. One of the people involved in that clash returned a short time later with a gun and began firing.
Ironically, the event was called “Peace in the City,” and a flyer promoting the park gathering billed it as “a day of fun, no violence!”
After the shooting began, a bystander — who has not been named — drew his concealed weapon and shot the attacker, sending him to the hospital in serious condition.
“The bystander who shot the suspect waited for officers and has been fully cooperative with the investigation,” reported WFTV, citing local police.
“We are extremely grateful that nobody else was injured in this incident,” said Deputy Chief Todd Hutchinson. “This suspect opened fire at a crowded public park, this could have been so much worse.” – READ MORE
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