U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) issued a statement following a briefing from FBI Director Kash Patel about the recent shooting in downtown Austin on West Sixth Street. The incident, which occurred early Sunday morning, resulted in multiple victims and injuries.
Cornyn expressed his concern for those affected by the shooting, stating: “Sandy and I are praying for the victims, those injured, and all who have been affected by the horrific shooting in Austin. I’ve been in contact with FBI Director Kash Patel, Mayor Kirk Watson, and others as they work to investigate this tragedy. I am grateful for the brave police and emergency response personnel who arrived at the scene within seconds of the first 911 call.”
He also addressed concerns about terrorism: “Radical Islam has no place in Texas and our country. To those who wish to harm Americans or commit acts of terrorism in the name of Islam, you and your beliefs are not welcome here, and we will use every tool in our arsenal to ensure justice is swiftly served.”
Senator Cornyn has held his seat since 2002 after defeating Ron Kirk with 55% of the vote compared to Kirk’s 43%. He was re-elected in subsequent elections against Rick Noriega in 2008 (54.8% to 42.8%), David Alameel in 2014 (61.6% to 34.3%), and MJ Hegar in 2020 (53.5% to 43.9%).
