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'Had enough': NBA coach's powerful statement after school shooting

NBA coach Steve Kerr expressed his anger at the United States congress in the wake of a school shooting in Texas that has claimed 21 lives. Pictures: Getty Images/Twitter/Golden State Warriors
NBA coach Steve Kerr expressed his anger at the United States congress in the wake of a school shooting in Texas that has claimed 21 lives. Pictures: Getty Images/Twitter/Golden State Warriors

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has lashed out at the United States Congress in the wake of yet another school shooting in the country.

The United States is reeling after the latest in a string of mass shootings, this time in an elementary school in Texas, which has claimed 21 lives so far.

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This shooting follows another that occurred earlier in May at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, and another at a church in California.

Kerr delivered an emotional address to media after reports emerged throughout the day about the increasing death toll.

The 56-year-old was visibly distressed at times as he spoke to media, clearly angry and frustrated by what he described as America's continued inability to address gun violence.

“When are we going to do something? I’m tired,” Kerr yelled in his pregame availability before Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.

Kerr’s father, Malcolm, was assassinated in Beirut in 1984, when Steve was in college at Arizona — so the issue hits close to home for the Warriors coach.

“I’m so tired of getting up here and offering condolences to the devastated families that are out there. I’m so tired,” Kerr said.

“Excuse me. I’m sorry. I’m tired of the moments of silence. Enough."

The NBA great took particular issue with the United States Senate, whom he accused of refusing to vote on a bill which would introduce a universal background check for potential gun buyers.

He accused them of being more concerned with their grip on power than their constituents.

“There’s 50 senators right now who refuse to vote on HR8, which is a background check rule that the House passed a couple years ago. It’s been sitting there for two years. There’s a reason they won’t vote on it: to hold onto power," he said.

“I ask you, Mitch McConnell, all of you senators who refuse to do anything about the violence, school shootings, supermarket shootings, I ask you: Are you going to put your own desire for power ahead of the lives of our children and our elderly and our churchgoers?

"Because that’s what it looks like. That’s what we do every week.”

Steve Kerr in impassioned plea to America after latest school schooting

Kerr kept the focus on the senators, hoping it’ll stir some action beyond the usual performative “thoughts and prayers.”

“I want every person here, every person listening to this, to think about your own child or grandchild, mother or father, sister, brother. How would you feel if this happened to you today?

“We are being held hostage by 50 senators in Washington who refuse to even put it to a vote, despite what we the American people want.

“They won’t vote on it because they want to hold onto their own power. It’s pathetic. I’ve had enough.”

Since the Sandy Hook Elementary School (Connecticut) shooting in December 2012, there’ve been numerous instances of mass shootings where children were targeted and killed.

One can easily rattle off 10 mass shootings due to either race or victims being selected randomly.

Most recently in Oxford, Michigan, four students were killed and several others injured in a shooting at its high school.

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr said it would be difficult to enjoy basketball following a school shooting which has claimed 21 lives. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr said it would be difficult to enjoy basketball following a school shooting which has claimed 21 lives. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

It’s become almost commonplace to hear of such things, but as Kerr pointed out, the gun control debate hasn’t gone anywhere.

“We can’t get numb to this,” Kerr said. “We can’t sit here and just read about it and go, well, let’s have a moment of silence. Go Dubs. C’mon, Mavs, let’s go. That’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to go play a basketball game.

“Fifty senators in Washington are going to hold us hostage. Do you realize that 90 percent of Americans, regardless of political party, want background checks, universal background checks? Ninety percent of us.”

Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd read a prepared statement in his media session 10 minutes before Kerr did, but was clearly shaken. He didn’t know about the shooting until he got to the arena hours before.

“What’s going on is a little bit more important than basketball,” Kidd said. “It’s tough. You know, as coaches or fathers, we have kids. People in this room have kids. Elementary school. You just think about what could take place with any of your family or friends at a school.

“The news of what’s happening, not just here in Texas but throughout our country, is sad.”

With Yahoo Sports US/Vincent Goodwill

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