After Latest School Shooting, Houston Police Chief Hits ‘Rock Bottom’ 

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo has been an outspoken advocate before for sensible gun laws and regulations. Just a couple months ago, he and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner joined students and activists in the nationwide March for Our Lives protest following the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, which claimed 17 lives last February.

Now, Acevedo says he is saddened and angry again after Friday’s mass shooting at Santa Fe High School, about 40 miles south of the city whose police force he commands. Eight students and two teachers were killed, and about a dozen more were injured.

In a Facebook post, Acevedo describes having “hit rock bottom” and says he wants nothing to do with arguments from gun rights proponents who always seem to be excessively vocal after these types of tragedies involving firearms.

His message, which has been shared over 16,000 times as of this writing, stated:

To all my Facebook friends. Today I spent the day dealing with another mass shooting of children and a responding police officer who is clinging to life. I’m not ashamed to admit I’ve shed tears of sadness, pain and anger.

I know some have strong feelings about gun rights but I want you to know I’ve hit rock bottom and I am not interested in your views as it pertains to this issue. Please do not post anything about guns aren’t the problem and there’s little we can do. My feelings won’t be hurt if you de-friend me and I hope yours won’t be if you decide to post about your views and I de-friend you.

I have never accepted the status-quo in anything I do and I’ve never accepted defeat. And I won’t do it now. I will continue to speak up and will stand up for what my heart and my God commands me to do, and I assure you he hasn’t instructed me to believe that gun-rights are bestowed by him.

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.

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).

I close by saying, I wish those that move on from this page the best. May God Bless you and keep you.

According to CNN, more than one school shooting has occurred each week so far in 2018. And more people have been killed at schools in the U.S. this year than service members killed while serving in the military, according to The Washington Post.

Acevedo, who took office two years ago, told The New York Times that his social media message has prompted “overwhelming positive feedback.”

“Mayor Turner and I know that ultimately together, pragmatic Americans and responsible gun owners, will be heard and will win the day,” he told the newspaper in an email.