Politics

‘F****d Up’: Democratic POTUS Candidates React To Shooting In Texas

Elizabeth Warren stands at a podium. By Tim Pierce from Berlin, MA, USA (Elizabeth Warren) [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Sen. Elizabeth Warren and former Rep. Beto O’Rourke were among several Democratic presidential candidates who spoke out after the shooting Saturday in Odessa, Texas.

Their comments came after five people died and at least 21 others were injured after a shooting Saturday in Odessa and Midland. At least 21 people were shot, two of whom are police officers, Midland Mayor Jerry Morales said, according to CNN.

“I’m heartsick for the victims of this latest mass shooting in Odessa and Midland. We shouldn’t have to live with this near daily fear and horror. We’ve already lost far too many to gun violence — Congress must act now,” Warren of Massachusetts said on Twitter.

I’m heartsick for the victims of this latest mass shooting in Odessa and Midland. We shouldn’t have to live with this near daily fear and horror. We’ve already lost far too many to gun violence—Congress must act now. https://t.co/Hgdb7h6kpI

— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) August 31, 2019

O’Rourke, a former Texas congressman, made similar comments at a campaign stop in Virginia.

“We do know that this is f****d up. We know that this has to stop in our country,” he told a small crowd of supporters.

WATCH:

We don’t know how many have been killed. We don’t know the motivation. But here’s what we do know: This is fucked up. pic.twitter.com/NRvyPfUjiM

— Beto O’Rourke (@BetoORourke) September 1, 2019

Sen. Kamala Harris called for action to prevent future shootings.

“I’m sick of this. America is sick of this,” the California Democrat said in a tweet Saturday. “We need to act.”

Keeping the Midland and Odessa community and the victims in my thoughts and prayers. Grateful to first responders who ran into harm’s way.

I’m sick of this. America is sick of this.

We need to act.

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 31, 2019

Harris has seen her support sag over the past few weeks as other candidates appear to make inroads wish Democratic constituents.

The Odessa shootings come after similar tragedies in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio.