Copyright: Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP
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The rampage at a school in Texas that killed at least 19 children also affected NBA coach Steve Kerr. Before the playoff game against the Dallas Mavericks, the Warriors coach expressed his emotions.
The result was irrelevant that evening. In the NBA playoff semifinals, the Dallas Mavericks beat the Golden State Warriors 119-109, shortening the series to 1-3. However, the game was overshadowed by the killing spree at a Texas school a few hours earlier.
A total of 19 children and two adults were killed in the attack by an 18-year-old, as well as the perpetrator himself. After the game, Warriors coach Steve Kerr (56) said: “The dressing room was very quiet before the game. The shock, anger and sadness is felt by all of our boys and I’m sure everyone else in the building too.”
Steve Kerr: ‘I don’t want these minutes of silence anymore’
However, the 56-year-old gave an angry speech before the NBA game, became very emotional and then received many words of praise.
The trainer seemed very upset, fighting back tears, his voice kept breaking and he kept banging his fist on the table. “When are we finally going to do something?” he suddenly raised his voice: “I’m tired of it. I’m so tired of standing up here and offering my condolences to the devastated families out there. I don’t want these minutes of silence anymore. Enough!”
Kerr called for stricter gun control in the US and addressed 50 senators who have so far prevented it in order to “maintain their power”.
Steve Kerr on US Senators: “That’s pathetic!”
The eight-time NBA champion has long spoken out against gun violence. His father was shot dead in a terrorist attack in Beirut, Lebanon in 1984.
See Steve Kerr’s emotional statement here in the video: