AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – The vice chairman of a new Texas House committee that’s addressing issues related to gun violence says some of its Republican members have received death threats.
Democratic state Rep. Poncho Nevarez said Wednesday the lawmakers were targeted “by people who do not want to see any movement on gun issues.” Nevarez declined to comment on who the lawmakers were.
Republican Rep. Drew Darby told the San Angelo Standard-Times two committee members received death threats.
Addressing a crowd at an event in his home district of San Angelo, Darby said that it was time for Texas to have a serious discussion about gun violence.
“I’m going to speak for a few minutes from my heart about what the State of Texas is facing,” Darby said. “When you have people that can’t go to the Walmart safely in El Paso, Texas, when a father of two (out driving) on a street in Odessa gets shot and killed, when a postal worker just trying to do her job gets shot … have we reached a point in this state that we can’t engage in a meaningful conversation?” Darby said.
“Out of 13 members on the committee, two of us have already had death threats. … What’s that tell you about where we are?”
For some, the answer is a resounding ‘no.’
“My committee has already had two death threats,” Darby said. “Out of 13 members on the committee, two of us have already had death threats. … What’s that tell you about where we are?”
The publication reports that Darby’s comments left the audience stunned. Read more here.
The committee was formed last week in response to two mass shootings that occurred in Texas last month.
On Aug. 31, a gunman killed seven while driving in the area of Odessa and Midland , firing randomly at people. In El Paso less than a month earlier, a gunman targeting Mexicans killed 22 people at a Walmart.
(Associated Press GoSanAngelo)
