Houston police Chief Art Acevedo said on Friday night that it’s time to ask God for forgiveness for not acting to prevent school shootings after a gunman in a nearby Santa Fe, Texas, high school left 10 dead.
“This isn’t a time for prayers, and study and inaction, it’s a time for prayers, action and the asking of God’s forgiveness for our inaction (especially the elected officials that ran to the cameras today, acted in a solemn manner, called for prayers, and will once again do absolutely nothing),” Acevedo said in a Facebook post.
The police chief asked people not to post about how “guns aren’t the problem and there’s little we can do.”
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He noted that he will continue to speak out and wrote that he doesn’t believe God bestowed gun rights.
“The hatred being spewed in our country and the new norms we, so-called people of faith are accepting, is as much to blame for so much of the violence in our once pragmatic Nation,” Acevedo said.
Acevedo’s message comes as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R), who has cast himself as an opponent of gun control measures, also called for action on Friday after the school shooting.
“We need to do more than just pray for the victims and the families,” Abbott said at a news conference. “It’s time in Texas that we take action to step up and make sure this tragedy is never repeated ever again in the history of the state of Texas.”
The governor said he will announce several proposals for new gun laws. The plans would “speed up background checks” and prevent people “who pose immediate danger” from obtaining guns, according to The Dallas Morning News.
Authorities have identified 17-year-old Dimitrios Pagourtzis, who is in custody, as the suspected shooter.