Texas gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke interrupted a press conference held by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, confronting the governor about gun laws in the state following the Uvalde shooting.
The confrontation was brief, and O'Rourke relented after being shouted down by Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin and seemingly escorted out of the auditorium. Abbott had been discussing issues related to mental health when O'Rourke interrupted.
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"This was totally predictable," O'Rourke could be heard saying during the encounter. "This is on you until you choose to do something."
Abbott largely appeared to ignore O'Rourke, who recently secured the Democratic Party nod for governor in the November election.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick hit back at O'Rourke, saying, "You're out of line and an embarrassment."
But McLaughlin was the most forceful in responding to O'Rourke.
"Sir, you are out of line. Please leave this auditorium," he said. "I can't believe you are a sick son of a b**** who would come to an ordeal like this to make a political issue."
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), who ran against O'Rourke for the Senate in 2018, told him to "sit down," seemingly in disgust.
After O'Rourke left, the governor noted, "There's no words anybody shouting can come up here — and do anything — to heal those broken hearts."
Following the encounter, O'Rourke reaffirmed his advocacy for increasing restrictions to curb gun violence in the state and across the country.
"I want us to do something right now. We can do something right now. But if we continue to accept this, it is on us. It's not just the governor's fault. It is on us. I'm not going to accept it, so I'm here. I'm calling attention to it," he explained to the press.
"I'm calling on all Texans of good conscience — and I could care less whether you're a Republican, a Democrat, or an independent — to stand up right now for yourself, for your kids, for our families, and to stop the next shooting just like this one," he continued.
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The gubernatorial candidate vowed, "Hell yes, we're going to take your AR-15, your AK-47," during his presidential bid, but he toned down his rhetoric when he began his campaign for Texas governor, saying in February, "I'm not interested in taking anything from anyone."
On Tuesday, a shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde led to the deaths of 22 people, including 19 children, two teachers, and the gunman.
Watch the entire press briefing here.