Uvalde native Matthew McConaughey responds to Texas school shooting

On Tuesday, 19 students and two adults were killed at an elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. It happened in the birthplace of Academy Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey, who spent his first decade in the city west of San Antonio. He responded to the tragic shooting on Twitter just after midnight last night.

"As you all are aware there was another mass shooting today, this time in my home town of Uvalde, Texas. Once again, we have tragically proven that we are failing to be responsible for the rights our freedoms grant us," he wrote.

In 2018, McConaughey spoke about gun violence during the March for Our Lives protest in Austin. Calling it an "epidemic," the actor stated that he did not believe guns should be taken away from law-abiding citizens, but called for a civilian assault weapon ban and more robust background checks.

“One, let’s ban the assault weapons for civilians. This is a no-brainer," he said. "And to my friends out there that are responsible owners of these recreational assault weapons that they use for recreation, please let’s just take one for the team here and set it down. That issue saves lives."

McConaughey also called for a restriction to magazine capacity at the same event. The 18-year-old gunman who killed 21 people at Robb Elementary School reportedly purchased two AR-15 rifles and 375 rounds of ammunition legally the week he turned 18.

"As Americans, Texans, mothers and fathers, it's time we re-evelaute, and renegotiate our wants from our needs," McConaughey wrote in his statement. "We have to rearrange our values and find a common ground above this devastating American reality that has tragically become our children's issue."