Actor Matthew McConaughey on Tuesday recounted emotional stories from the victims of the Uvalde, Texas mass shooting and advocated for gun control measures at the White House Press Briefing.
Driving the news: McConaughey, who is from Uvalde, highlighted the lives of some of the children killed in the shooting and said he and his wife met with their families in the days following the attack.
Details: McConaughey told the story of Alithia Ramirez and held up some of her art at the press briefing. Alithia's dream, said the actor, was to go to art school in Paris.
- He recounted the story of Maite Rodriguez, who wore green Converse sneakers every day. McConaughey's wife, Camila, brought the sneakers to the briefing.
- "These are the same green Converse on her feet that turned out to be the only clear evidence that they could identify her after the shooting," McConaughey said.
- He also told the story of Eliahna Garcia, who loved to sing and was preparing to read a Bible verse at church.
- He talked about Irma García, a teacher who taught at Robb Elementary School for 23 years, and whose husband died from a heart attack soon after the shooting.
On gun control
Reality check: McConaughey, who owns guns and described learning to shoot as a child, advocated for "responsible gun ownership" and for gun control specific policies.
- "We need background checks. We need to raise the minimum age to purchase an AR-15 rifle to 21. We need a waiting period for those rifles. We need red flag laws and consequences for those who abuse them," McConaughey said.
- "Responsible gun owners are fed up with the Second Amendment being abused and hijacked by some deranged individuals. These regulations are not a step back, they're a step forward for civil society and the Second Amendment," McConaughey added at the briefing.
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