Matthew McConaughey visits his hometown of Uvalde with local GOP Rep to help people ‘heal’ three days after the school shooting that killed 19 children
- Matthew McConaughey, 52, was born in Uvalde and on Friday returned to his hometown to console the victims of Tuesday’s mass shooting
- His mother was a teacher at a school a mile away from Robb Elementary, where 19 children and two teacher were murdered by an 18-year-old gunman
- McConaughey, who was weighing up a run for governor of Texas until November, has previously been vague when asked about his thoughts on gun control
- On Wednesday he was more outspoken than he had previously been, issuing a plea to ‘control’ the ‘epidemic’ of school shootings
- McConaughey on Friday visited staff at the Uvalde school district with local congressman Tony Gonzalez – a strong Second Amendment activist
- McConaughey did not make any public comments while he was in Uvalde, but Gonzalez thanked him for his visit
Matthew McConaughey returned to his hometown of Uvalde, Texas on Friday to comfort the community left reeling from Tuesday’s school shooting.
The 52-year-old actor visited staff at the Uvalde school district, and was photographed with them inside their building.
McConaughey’s mother Kay, who turned 90 in January and lived with her son throughout the pandemic, was a teacher at St. Philip’s Episcopal School in Uvalde.
Her school, which McConaughey attended, is only a mile from Robb Elementary, where 19 children and two teachers were murdered.
McConaughey did not address the public during his visit, but was accompanied by Rep Tony Gonzalez, who thanked him for coming.
‘Thank you Matthew for helping to heal our community,’ Gonzalez tweeted on Friday.
‘Your visit brought so many smiling faces to Uvalde. See you soon my friend.’
Matthew McConaughey, center, is seen on Friday visiting Uvalde – his hometown
McConaughey, 52, is seen arriving at the city of 16,000 people, where he grew up
The actor did not address the press, but instead met privately with local people
Earlier, Gonzalez shared photos of McConaughey in the school offices.
‘Appreciate Uvalde native Matthew McConaughey helping us heal,’ he said.
‘This week was a solemn reminder that evil exists in the world, but we will never let it break us.
‘We’ll unite to be an even more powerful reminder that love never fails & together we can change things.’
Gonzalez, a staunch defender of the Second Amendment, has previously tweeted with pride about blocking gun control measures.
A memorial to the victims of Tuesday’s mass shooting is seen on Friday in Uvalde, Texas
People light candles and lay flowers at a makeshift memorial outside the Uvalde County Courthouse on Friday
McConaughey is pictured with his wife Camila Alvez on April 28 in Austin, where they now live
McConaughey’s own views are more nuanced: while he was weighing up a run for governor, which he called off in November, he was diplomatic about his position.
In March 2018, he addressed the gun control March For Our Lives in Austin, where he lives, and said he supported restrictions on who could by firearms.
A month later, McConaughey says he supports some gun control but fears the youth-led March For Our Lives movement could be ‘hijacked’ by those hoping to eliminate all guns in the United States.
On Wednesday, McConaughey once again said there needed to be change.
‘As Americans, Texans, mothers and fathers, it’s time we re-evaluate, and renegotiate our wants from our needs,’ the actor said.
‘We have to rearrange our values and find a common ground above this devastating American reality that has tragically become our children’s issue.
‘This is an epidemic we can control, and whichever side of the aisle we may stand on, we all know we can do better. We must do better.’
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