Allen Premium Outlet shooting: Leaders, celebrities react to deadly shootings
ALLEN, Texas – After the tragic shooting at the Allen Premium Outlets on Saturday afternoon, many leaders and politicians released statements sharing their concerns and feelings.
TO KNOW MORE: Shooting at Allen Premium Outlets: Shooter ‘neutralized’, deaths confirmed with at least 9 hospitalized
WARNING: Some statements contain foul language
Governor Greg Abbott
Texas Governor Greg Abbott released a statement shortly after the shooting.
“Our hearts go out to the people of Allen, Texas tonight during this unspeakable tragedy,” Governor Abbott said. “I have been in contact with Mayor Fulk and DPS Director McCraw as well as other state and local leaders and have offered the full support of the State of Texas to local officials to ensure that all necessary assistance and resources are rapidly deployed.” , including DPS officers, Texas Rangers and investigative resources”.
Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick
Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick also released a statement.
“Please join Jan and I in mourning the victims of Allen’s unspeakable tragedy. Please also join us in praying for the families and friends of the victims along with the residents of Allen,” Patrick said. “We are grateful for our brave first responders who were deployed to stop the shooter and investigate this horrific crime. We are grateful for their bravery and bravery.”
US Congressman Keith Self
US Congressman Keith Self, a Republican who represents Allen and other parts of Collin County, released a statement on Twitter. Self said his prayers are with the victims, their famines and law enforcement at the scene.
Self said Allen police are in full control of the scene.
State Representative Jeff Leach
Rep. Jeff Leach, a Republican who represents Allen in the Texas Statehouse, called for prayers for everyone involved and affected.
Kyler Murray
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, who attended Allen High School, called the shooting “disgusting.”
The quarterback asked how he could help the victims before saying, “When is this shit going to end?”
US Congressman Colin Allred
Congressman Colin Allred, a Democrat who represents parts of North Texas and recently announced a campaign in the US Senate, said families “will be changed forever by this terrible tragedy.”
Texas Democratic Party
Texas Democratic Party communications director Ike Hajinazarian, who lives in Plano, released a scathing statement criticizing Allen’s representatives for failing to pass legislation that would prevent violence like that seen on
“I will write the same words I have for every other press release I’ve written about mass shootings in my career: that our thoughts and prayers are with the community of Allen, and we are grateful for law enforcement who came along.” on the scene and did heroic work to save lives.
“That’s still true. But this time, things hit even closer to home, since this happened down the road from me.
“The same pathetic, cowardly Republicans who represent Allen Premium Outlets represent me — so let me say to Jeff Leach and Angela Paxton as one of your constituents: DO SOMETHING. Not a single responsible gun owner in your districts wants these extremes, off-the-shelf. -wall NRA pressured “laws” — or lack thereof — you’ve been shoving down our throats for the past decade to win your ridiculous primaries.
“The carry permit (a bill Rep. Leach co-authored in 2021) is a disaster. Letting high schoolers buy ARs is a disaster. Letting rifles fly off the shelves with reckless abandon and flood the streets of the Texas with guns is a disaster Refusing to enact red flag laws was a disaster.
“Today you two – along with all your Republican cronies from Texas, from Ted Cruz and Greg Abbott down – have the blood of even more Texans on your hands, and you are partially responsible for creating mass trauma in another Texas community.
“We still have a few weeks left in this legislative session. Show a shred of courage and enact some common sense gun rules into law that will keep these guns out of the hands of children or deranged lunatics. Help save some lives. Help stop the next shooting mass. We’re not asking for much.”
“The poll released last week by the UT-Texas Politics Project shows that 76% of Texans believe the state should require a minimum age of 21 to purchase any firearm. The same poll showed that 72% of Texans agree that our state should enact “red-flag” laws, “allowing courts to require an individual determined to pose a risk to themselves or others to temporarily surrender any guns in their possession” .
Senator Ted Cruz
Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) offered prayers for Collin County. He said his team is in contact with local officials and that “I have offered all the necessary support to do justice and help those in need”.
Cruz also thanked law enforcement who “stopped the evil monster who committed this evil act.”
Beto O’Rourke
Former Texas Congressman Beto O’Rourke also spoke.
“Pray for families as we continue to work to replace those in power with leaders who value our children’s lives more than the gun lobby’s profits. The only way to stop this,” he said.
State Senator Roland Gutierrez
Texas State Senator Roland Gutierrez, who represents the people of Uvalde, citing a school shooting last year, said ‘there is a special place in hell for the people who watch all of this happen and they choose to do nothing.”
Senator John Cornyn
Texas Senator John Cornyn said he “mourned tonight with the Allen community.”
Cornyn also thanks Police Allen and other Collin County first responders for their response to the shooting.
