Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said he’d stand up to the NRA to close the background check loophole on private gun sales, only to defend the loophole on gun transfers between friends, “though he acknowledged that could be abused,” the Dallas Morning News reported Friday. Texas fails its people, once again.

The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that Seth Ator, the man suspected of murdering seven people and injuring 22 more this weekend in Odessa, TX, used a glaring legal loophole to purchase his AR-15-style assault rifle from a private seller, thereby avoiding a federal background check he had previously failed.

A 15-year-old in Texas died this morning after being shot in the face with an AR-15 rifle. Police are reportedly still looking for the shooter, who they believe knew the victim and acted intentionally. I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to think people shouldn’t have these things.