Post Malone found out about the El Paso shooting while on camera, and the rap star had a very raw and real reaction to the news. Over the weekend, the cities of El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio were rocked by mass shootings that took place within hours of one another. Malone, who says he just returned from Japan and had not heard about them, spoke to TMZ cameras about the El Paso shooting specifically. “I know that Texas is super strong, and I know that there’s a lot of f—ing evil in the world,” he said, while noticeably shaken.
The “Sunflower” rapper then offered, “What we can do is be there for each other…and stay strong, and be there for everybody, and just keep kickin’ ass.”
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“It’s a crazy issue,” he also said, then adding, “I think mental health is a big part of it, and we need to take a good look at how that’s working.”
The El Paso shooting claimed the lives of 20 people, with 27 more injured. The shooter was taken into police custody.
The tragic Dayton shooting claimed the lives of nine victims, with another 27 reported injured. That shooter was also killed.
With two mass shootings in America in less than 24 hours, thoughts and prayers are not enough. We need action.
The House has sent common-sense gun safety legislation to the Senate. Demand that @senatemajldr and your Republican elected officials join Democrats to pass it.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 4, 2019
Many have taken to social media to comment on the shocking events, with Senator Jeff Merkley tweeting, “American mass shootings are off the chart. Because we have more mental illness than other countries? No. More poverty? No. More violent video games? No. It is one factor: dramatically higher number of guns on the street.”
“Mental health issues don’t cause mass shootings, guns do,” Senator Patty Murray added. “Vilifying people who have a mental illness won’t help end mass shootings. The commonsense gun reform legislation that’s already passed the House will. @senatemajldr, let’s have a vote.”
NEW: Former Pres. Barack Obama on this weekend’s mass shootings: “We are not helpless here. And until all of us stand up and insist on holding public officials accountable for changing our gun laws, these tragedies will keep happening.” https://t.co/apcVCEfLVy pic.twitter.com/1aM70mDjHV
— ABC News (@ABC) August 5, 2019
“This president, who helped create the hatred that made Saturday’s tragedy possible, should not come to El Paso,” Presidential candidate, and Texas politician, Beto O’Rourke offered. “We do not need more division. We need to heal. He has no place here.”
