On Monday morning's MSNBC Live, host Ayman Mohyeldin prodded his guest, Austin Democratic Mayor Steve Adler, to call for more gun control in response to news of a deadly shooting that occurred over the weekend during a Black Lives Matter protest.
After spending the first part of the interview discussing news that the pandemic may be improving in the city, Mohyeldin changed the subject and recalled that a motorist shot a protester who was also armed during some sort of altercation.
As he commented on the tragedy, Mayor Adler recalled that a third person also had a gun and took a shot at the car as it drove away, and then complained about the number of guns in the city: "I'm also taken by the fact that, in that split moment, we had three different guns appear, two of which were fired. We have too many guns on our streets, and we need to do something about that."
The MSNBC host prodded his liberal guest to push for more gun control as he followed up:
MOHYELDIN: Yes, and, to that point, Texas is an open-carry state, but given the fact that we're in this moment as a country -- a highly charged climate we're in right now -- do you believe this is something Texas needs to reexamine?
Without any challenge, Mayor Adler further complained about availability of guns in Texas:
MAYOR ADLER: I believe it is. I wasn't supportive when it was initially adopted, I just don't see the reason why we need people walking with high-powered weapons and with guns, as many as there are, visibly showing in Texas. I just think that it's counterproductive and will ultimately lead to people getting hurt that don't need to be hurt.
Notably, the man who was killed -- Garrett Foster -- had an AK-47 while the other gunman, who was inside his car, used a handgun.
And, even though Adler had earlier recalled the killing of Heather Heyer by a white nationalist protester in Charlottesville, neither he nor Mohyeldin noted htat she was killed when she was hit by the killer's car, or that, more recently, a couple of Black Lives Matter protester was killed when a motorist plowed his car into them in Seattle.
This episode of MSNBC Live was sponsored by Safelite and Skechers. Their contact information is linked.
Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of the Monday, July 27, MSNBC Live:
MSNBC Live
7/27/2020
10:12 a.m. Eastern
AYMAN MOHYELDIN: I have to switch gears for a moment and ask you about a protester that was shot and killed during a Black Lives Matter demonstration near your city on Saturday. Police say 28-year-old protester, Garrett Foster -- armed with an AK-47 rifle -- was shot and killed by a driver who was driving aggressively toward marchers. Police say Foster and a crowd of protesters surrounded the car with some striking the car. That's when the driver fatally shot Foster. The driver later called to report he shot someone. Update us on the investigation and if you expect any charges.
MAYOR STEVE ADLER (D-AUSTIN): I don't know the answer to that. The investigation is ongoing. You know, it is a tragic event all around. You know, everybody has the mental image of the driver in Charlottesville, so when you're in that kind of situation, tragic things happen -- and they happened here.
I'm also taken by the fact that, in that split moment, we had three different guns appear, two of which were fired. We have too many guns on our streets, and we need to do something about that.
MOHYELDIN: Yes, and, to that point, Texas is an open-carry state, but given the fact that we're in this moment as a country -- a highly charged climate we're in right now -- do you believe this is something Texas needs to reexamine?
MAYOR ADLER: I believe it is. I wasn't supportive when it was initially adopted, I just don't see the reason why we need people walking with high-powered weapons and with guns, as many as there are, visibly showing in Texas. I just think that it's counterproductive and will ultimately lead to people getting hurt that don't need to be hurt.
MOHYELDIN: All right, Austin Mayor Steve Adler, always a pleasure. Thanks for joining us this morning. Thanks for your time.
