Steve Kerr: ‘I’m tired of moments of silence,’ says Warriors coach as he argues forcefully against gun violence

Kerr declined to talk about basketball ahead of Game 4 of the Warriors’ series against the Dallas Mavericks, instead raising his voice as he railed against gun violence in the wake of Tuesday’s shootout.

“In the past 10 days, we’ve had elderly black people killed in a supermarket in Buffalo, we’ve had Asian worshipers killed in Southern California, now we’ve got kids murdered in school,” Kerr said. to reporters at the start of the press. conference.

“When are we going to do something? I’m tired. I’m so tired of getting up here and offering my condolences to the devastated families out there…I’m tired of moments of silence. Enough.

“There are 50 senators right now who are refusing to vote on HR 8, which is a background check rule that the House passed a few years ago. It’s been there for two years. There’s a reason why they will not vote on it: to hold on to power.”

Last year, the House passed HR 8 to expand background checks on all commercial gun sales – the first Congressional move on significant gun control since Democrats won the White House .

Currently, background checks are not required for sales and transfers of weapons by private and unlicensed sellers.

“I’m fed up. I’ve had enough,” continued Kerr, whose father was president of the American University of Beirut when he was assassinated by gunmen in 1984.

“We’re going to play the game tonight. But I want every person here, every person listening to this, to think of your own child or grandchild, mother or father, sister, brother. How would you feel if that happened to you? today?”

Kerr observes a minute of silence after Tuesday's mass shooting.

Tuesday’s shooting by a lone 18-year-old gunman, who was killed by law enforcement, was the second mass shooting in the United States in less than two weeks after another 18-year-old gunman trafficker in white supremacist theories killed 10 black Americans in Buffalo.

Ahead of Tuesday’s game in Dallas, which was preceded by a moment of silence, Warriors guard Damion Lee joined Kerr in calling for gun reform.

“It’s just sad,” Lee told reporters. “Obviously everyone saw Steve’s pre-match presser. It’s exactly the same feelings. It’s a sad world we live in. We have to reform that.

“Guns shouldn’t be so readily available. For example, it’s easier to get a gun than formula milk right now. It’s amazing in this country we live in.”

The NBA said in a statement that it was “devastated by the horrific shooting that took place today in Uvalde, Texas,” while Mavs head coach Jason Kidd said before the game. that his team would play “with a heavy heart”.

“We’re going to try to play the game. We have no choice. The match is not going to be called off. But we have to find a way to be pro, find a way to win and move forward.” , Kidd said.

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

The Mavs won the game 119-109 and trail the Warriors 3-1 in the Western Conference Finals.

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