https://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas-politics/2018/05/18/minutes-after-santa-fe-school-shooting-texas-democrats-demand-talk-gun-controlAUSTIN — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, speaking hours after the school shooting that left at least 10 people dead Friday, said he wants new guns laws "to make sure this tragedy is never repeated."
"We need to do more than just to pray for the victims and their families," Abbott, a Republican, said during a press conference near Santa Fe High School on Friday afternoon. The governor will begin holding roundtable discussions next week with "stakeholders to begin to work immediately on swift solutions to prevent tragedies like these from ever happening again."
Abbott said he'd been planning to roll out several proposals for new gun laws in Texas before the shooting, including "speeding up background checks" and keeping guns out of hands of those "who pose immediate danger." He also praised the mental health screening and preparedness protocols for students implemented at Lubbock Independent School District.
Abbott hopes the round table discussions will involve state lawmakers, educators, Second Amendment advocates and the victims and families of shootings, perhaps including survivors of the November massacre at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs.
"I ask every parent out there, wherever you may be, to hold your children close tonight and let them know you love them," Abbott added, calling Friday's shooting "what has to be the worst disaster to ever strike this community."
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, also a Republican, said, "We have to look at the design of our schools moving forward and retrofitting schools that are already built. And what I mean by that is there are too many entrances and too many exits to our over 8,000 campuses in Texas."
"There aren't enough people to put a guard at every entrance and exit," Patrick added. "But if we can protect a large office building or a courthouse or any major facility, maybe we need to look at limiting the entrance and exits into our schools so that we can have law enforcement looking at people who come in one or two entrances."