GOVERNOR ABBOTT AND LT. GOV. DAN PATRICK: STATEMENT ON EL PASO SHOOTING

Dear Director Mathis: The El Paso community was struck by a heinous and senseless act of violence today. Our hearts go out to the victims of this horrific shooting and to the entire community in this time of loss. As such, it is fitting that flags should be lowered immediately to half-staff in memory of those who lost their lives. Therefore, pursuant to Chapter 3100 of the Texas Government Code, I direct the Texas flag be immediately lowered to half-staff statewide on Saturday, August 3, 2019, in memory of those who lost their lives. Flags should remain at half-staff through sunset on Thursday, August 8, 2019. Flags should be returned to full staff on the following day. Individuals, businesses, municipalities, counties, and other political subdivisions and entities are encouraged to fly their flags at half-staff for the same length of time as a sign of honor and respect. The First Lady and I extend our prayers of comfort to the survivors and the families of the victims and we will continue to keep them in our thoughts and prayers. “Texans are heartbroken over the news of the horrific shooting in El Paso. Please join Jan and I in praying for the city of El Paso, the victims, their families and their friends who have suffered an unspeakable loss today. We are also praying for our first responders, including those in the El Paso Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Rangers who courageously deployed to end the attack and who are continuing to investigate to ensure that there is justice for this heinous crime. We remain grateful for their bravery and selflessness.” Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick There is a deep sadness that prevails in this country as again, we are witness to massive, senseless loss of life at the hands of a single individual. No matter your political leanings or positions on the issues, this is a pain that touches every single heart. And with it comes an awareness, more certain than ever, that active shooter incidents are no longer uncommon. They are, however, extremely unpredictable and at this point there is no early warning system for such an occurrence. Twenty-one lives were lost in El Paso this weekend and another 9 in Ohio. Many more lay in hospital beds recovering from their physical wounds. Who know how long it will take for them to recover from the psychological trauma of such an event? The only defense we have is to be as prepared as we possibly can be. The Texas City Police Department is taking a proactive response to this unfortunate reality and the rest depends on us, the community. As civilians we too carry a responsibility for the safety and well being of our community. So, mark your calendars now and plan to attend; if not for yourself, then for your neighbor, your family, your faith. Prior to the Santa Fe incident, officers were trained to wait for back up before engaging. No longer. When the call comes, the first officer to arrive will be focused on nothing other than engaging and stopping the shooter. As we saw this weekend, seconds matter. Officers no longer can afford the luxury of waiting for backup and as citizens of this community we can no longer remain ignorant of what to do should the unthinkable happen. There is an organization that supports your local police station called the Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association. Each police department offers a Citizen Police Academy which is normally a 6 to7 week course that takes participants through every aspect of policing. The mission of all Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association is to assist and educate the various Citizen Police Academy Alumni Associations within the State of Texas to better serve their communities by more effectively partnering with and supporting the law enforcement agencies in their area. They accomplish this through educational classes, seminars and group gatherings. The educational process will be conducted by law enforcement agencies from local, county, state and federal jurisdiction and any other organization dealing with security issues. In having the tools to be more vigilant, the local CPAAA’s can be significant assets to their sponsoring law enforcement agencies while also providing valuable opportunities for civic-minded citizens to give back to their communities as volunteers. Education in vigilant activities could encompass the topics of drugs, gangs, missing children and adults, along with other subjects as needed. Contact your local police department for more information. Many have a new class starting in September.