Wednesday 25 May 2022 03:52 AM NBA coach Steve Kerr angrily demands more vetted background checks after Texas ... trends now
NBA coach Steve Kerr lost his temper as he demanded background checks for guns in the wake of Tuesday's massacre at a Texas school that killed 19 children.
The Golden State warriors coach - whose father was shot dead by terrorists in 1984 - spoke at a press conference ahead of his side's fourth game against the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Western Conference Final. He was so angry he banged his fist on a table for all to see.
'We're not going to talk about basketball,' Kerr said at the beginning of his team's press conference. 'Nothing's happened with our team in the last six hours. We're going to start the same way tonight. Any basketball questions don't matter.'
'Since we left shoot around 14 children were killed 400 miles from here, and a teacher, and in the last ten days, we've had elderly black people killed in a supermarket in buffalo,' the basketball coach added.
'We had Asian churchgoers killed in southern California. Now we have children murdered at school. When are we going to do something? I'm tired. I'm so tired of getting up here and offering condolences to the devastated families that are out there. I'm so tired of the -- I'm sorry. I'm tired of the moments of silence. Enough.'
Kerr has personal experience of losing a loved one to gun violence. His father, Professor Malcolm Kerr, was shot and killed in a targeted attack while working at the American University of Beirut in 1984.
Professor Kerr - who worked to try and foster harmony between Christians, Muslims and Jews, was murdered by jihadis, although no motive has ever been disclosed.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, 56, slammed Congress for not taking enough action on passing stricter background checks on gun registration and purchases at a press conference ahead of his team's Game 4 encounter against the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Western Conference Finals
Steve Kerr's father, Malcolm Kerr, was shot to death by terrorists in Lebanon while he was the President of the American University of Beirut in 1984
A woman cries Tuesday, May 24, 2022, as she leaves the Uvalde Civic Center, in Uvalde, Texas. At least 18 students and two teachers were killed when a gunman opened fire at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, according to Texas Governor Gregg Abbott
Kerr went on to slam all 50 state Senators for refusing to vote in favor of HR-8 - a bill that advocates for stricter background check on firearm purchases. He said that the bill had been 'sitting' at the House for two years and that the reason for not voting on it involves Senators wanting 'to hold on to power.'
'I ask you, Mitch McConnell, I ask all you senators who refuse to do anything about the violence and school shootings and supermarket shootings, I ask you: are you going to put your desire for power ahead of the lives of our children and elderly and our churchgoers? That's what it looks like. It's what we do every week. So I'm fed up. I've had enough,' Kerr reiterated.
The 56-year-old former Cleveland Cavalier and San Antonio Spur then asked for every one who attended the pre-game press conference 'to think about your own child or grandchild or mother or father, sister, or brother. How would you feel if this happened to you today? We can't get numb to this.'
He added that 'senators in Washington are going to us hostage,' referring to a Quinnipiac University statistic that claims that 94 percent of Americans are in favor of supporting or opposing 'requiring background checks for all gun buyers' from 2017.
'They won't vote on it because they want to hold onto their own power. It's pathetic. I've had enough,' Kerr angrily said, putting his fist on the table, before jetting out of the presser.
LeBron James led the calls for action with this message
The Lakers star sent two message of outrage following the shooting
Earlier on Tuesday, LeBron James led the calls for action following the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
Many of those who tweeted in the initial aftermath were responding to initial reports that 14 children had been killed at the time. That tally has now gone up to 18 while a second teacher also died.
James wrote in a tweet: 'There has to be change! HAS TO BE!! Praying to the heavens above to all with kids these days in schools.'
In an earlier tweet, the Lakers star wrote: 'My thoughts and prayers goes out to the families of love ones loss & injured at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX! Like when is enough enough man!!! These are kids and we keep putting them in harms way at school. Like seriously "AT SCHOOL" where it's suppose to be the safest!'
Chris Evans also called for gun reform. The 'Capt America' has previously called for common sense gun reform
Gun sense activist Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter was killed in the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, described himself as 'speechless' following the Uvalde shooting
Salvador Ramos, 18, a local high school student was named as the perpetrator of the attack by Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott. Abbott initially identified the suspect Salvador Roma.
Earlier that day, Ramos shot and killed his grandmother. The attack is one of the deadliest mass shootings in American history and the worst school shooting at an elementary school since the Sandy Hook massacre in 2012.
'Captain America' star Chris Evans tweeted: 'F***ING ENOUGH!!!!' Evans has previously called for 'common sense reform' with regard to guns in the past.
Just a few hours after the shooting, President Joe Biden ordered that all United States flags at government buildings and military bases worldwide be held at half-mast.
Salvador Ramos, 18, a local high school student was named as the perpetrator of the attack by Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott
Former US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said in a tweet that 'Thoughts and prayers are not enough.' She added: 'After years of nothing else, we are becoming a nation of
