On Monday night, the Texas Tech campus went on lockdown after a student, 19-year-old Hollis Daniels, allegedly shot a campus police officer in the head during a “standard debriefing” on a drug-related inquiry at the campus police station. Daniels, who fled on foot before being apprehended and taken into custody by Lubbock authorities, has since been charged with murder in the death of the unidentified cop.
Classes on the West Texas campus have resumed as normal on Tuesday, but the incident has reignited questions about concealed carry laws. Clearly, the issue is a delicate one, and the situation is compounded by the fact that Daniels wasn’t eligible for a concealed carry license since he wasn’t 21 years old, as the law requires.
In 2015, Governor Greg Abbott signed the legislation that allows people to carry concealed handguns in classrooms, buildings, and dorms of college campuses. The law went into effect in August 2016, and only one week ago, Abbott shared a link to a Fox News article that pointed out how “no incidents” have since occurred at Texas universities. In doing so, the governor wrote, “Concealed carry poses no danger on Texas college campuses. The dire consequences never happened.”
Concealed carry poses no danger on Texas college campuses. The dire consequences never happened. @NRA #guns #txlege https://t.co/B2p0bsCwpr
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) October 1, 2017
Fast forward to now, and Abbott’s mention of “dire consequences” is coming back to haunt him on social media.
Texas Governor just over a week ago. I’d call Hollis Daniels shooting & killing a Texas Tech cop pretty dire. Awaiting @NRA statement. https://t.co/2mkjd5rDOp
— April is in DC (@ReignOfApril) October 10, 2017
https://twitter.com/UberGuber/status/917742125726552064
AAANND now there's been a shooting at Texas Tech with a police officer reported dead. Sounds like the dire consequences are happening. https://t.co/OJz75fTOiI
— Isa-Lee Wolf (@IsaLeeWolf) October 10, 2017
Following the Monday night shooting, Abbott issued a brief statement, which does not mention the concealed carry law but offers condolences for the officer’s family and support for law enforcement:
“First and foremost, our hearts go out to the family of the police officer killed at Texas Tech University … I have mobilized the Texas Department of Public Safety to offer any assistance to the Lubbock Police Department. As the Texas Tech campus deals with this heartbreaking tragedy, Cecelia and I pray for the continued safety of the students and the entire community.”
And despite a lack of details on Daniels’ weapon — how he acquired the gun — the debate on the concealed carry law is sure to continue. The Texas Democratic party even brought the issue up while the lockdown was ongoing.
https://twitter.com/texasdemocrats/status/917573929958551552
UPDATE #1 – 12:00pm EST: The Texas Democrats have now apologized for their “inadequate” and “hurried” tweet during the shooting after learning that Daniels was not eligible for a concealed carry license.
NEW: @texasdemocrats apologize for tweet tying #campuscarry to student shooting death of @TexasTech police officer. #txlege pic.twitter.com/n8oBcgCXEj
— Lauren McGaughy 🎧 (@lmcgaughy) October 10, 2017
(Via New York Times, ABC News & Fox News)