Texas Sheriff Blames Manchester Attack On Gun Laws And Political Correctness

Sheriff Tracy Murphree in Denton, Texas, isn’t backing down from a Facebook rant that blamed Monday’s terrorist attack at a concert in Manchester, England, on gun control laws and political correctness.

I ran on a conservative Republican platform,” he told the local CBS station. “I don’t think it should be any surprise to anyone.”

Police in Manchester say the attack, which left 22 dead and dozens injured, was the work of a suicide bomber.

Murphree, however, pointed his finger in a number of other directions.

“This is what happens when you disarm your citizens. When you open your borders without the proper vetting,” he wrote on Facebook on Monday. “When you allow political correctness to dictate how you respond to an enemy that wants to kill you.”

Murphree, who has threatened to assault members of the transgender community for using the restroom, claimed “the left” wants to “submit” to an “ideology that treats women as property, kills gays and women and christians with complete impunity.”

He wrote:

“Folks this is an enemy hell bent on killing you. Committed to forcing you to convert or die. This enemy will strap bombs to their own body and blow themselves up killing children. I’m sick of it. You better wake up America. While you are distracted by the media and the crying of the left, Islamic Jihadist are among us and want to kill you. What will it take? This happening at a concert in Dallas or a school in Denton County? If we don’t do something quick this country will die of political correctness and the fear that someone’s feelings may be hurt. It may very well be to late for Europe.”

The comments drew a sharp response from the local chapter of the Council on American–Islamic Relations, which called it an “Islamophobic rant.”

We call on Sheriff Murphree to reaffirm his pledge, and that of his officers, to serve and protect all Denton County residents regardless of their faith, ethnicity or national origin,” Nikiya Natale, the chapter’s civil rights director, wrote on Facebook. “We are concerned that someone obligated to provide equal justice for all holds such inaccurate, stereotypical and divisive views.”

And while some of Murphree’s supporters agreed with his comments, other residents were disturbed by them.

I was shocked,” Denton resident Sarah Gramblin told the local NBC station. “I don’t trust that he’s going to treat everyone equally under the law, and that really worries me.”

Murphree had called his earlier comments on assaulting transgender people in restrooms a “mistake,” told the NBC station that his post was directed at terrorists and not the Muslim community.

“I stand by everything I said in that post,” he added. “I’m not backing off any word of it.”

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Saffie Rose Roussos, 8

<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-40012738" target="_blank" data-beacon="{&quot;p&quot;:{&quot;lnid&quot;:&quot;Saffie was attending the concert&quot;,&quot;mpid&quot;:15,&quot;plid&quot;:&quot;http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-40012738&quot;}}" data-beacon-parsed="true">Saffie was attending the concert</a> with her family, according to the BBC.&ldquo;She was loved by everyone and her warmth and kindness will be remembered fondly,&rdquo; Chris Upton, head teacher at Tarleton Community Primary School, told the BBC. &ldquo;News of Saffie&rsquo;s death in this appalling attack has come as a tremendous shock to all of us and I would like to send our deepest condolences to all of her family and friends.&rdquo;

Georgina Callander, 18

Callander, a student at Runshaw College in Lancaster, was the <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/manchester-explosions-live-latest-news-updates-ariana-grande-deaths-bomb-disposal-unit-what-happened-a7750421.html" target="_blank" data-beacon="{&quot;p&quot;:{&quot;lnid&quot;:&quot;first of 22 victims&quot;,&quot;mpid&quot;:2,&quot;plid&quot;:&quot;http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/manchester-explosions-live-latest-news-updates-ariana-grande-deaths-bomb-disposal-unit-what-happened-a7750421.html&quot;}}" data-beacon-parsed="true">first of 22 victims</a>&nbsp;to be publicly named.She had just tweeted at Grande the day before the show, &ldquo;<a href="https://twitter.com/emiliesatwell/status/866357918815453184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&amp;ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.co.uk%2Fentry%2Fmanchester-bombing-georgina-callander-named-as-first-victim-killed-after-arianna-grande-concert_uk_5923eaa6e4b03b485cb48742" target="_blank" data-beacon="{&quot;p&quot;:{&quot;lnid&quot;:&quot;SO EXCITED TO SEE U TOMORROW&quot;,&quot;mpid&quot;:3,&quot;plid&quot;:&quot;https://twitter.com/emiliesatwell/status/866357918815453184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&amp;ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.co.uk%2Fentry%2Fmanchester-bombing-georgina-callander-named-as-first-victim-killed-after-arianna-grande-concert_uk_5923eaa6e4b03b485cb48742&quot;}}" data-beacon-parsed="true">SO EXCITED TO SEE U TOMORROW</a>.&rdquo; Her school said in a statement that she died in the attack, which also injured 59 people.In 2015, Callander shared a backstage photo with Grande at Manchester Arena, the site of Monday&rsquo;s bombing. &ldquo;<a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/georgina-callander-manchester-arena-bomb-10480534" target="_blank" data-beacon="{&quot;p&quot;:{&quot;lnid&quot;:&quot;I hugged her so tight&quot;,&quot;mpid&quot;:4,&quot;plid&quot;:&quot;http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/georgina-callander-manchester-arena-bomb-10480534&quot;}}" data-beacon-parsed="true">I hugged her so tight</a> and she said she loved my bow. I can&rsquo;t get over this, I never will,&rdquo; she wrote at the time. Callander is on the left in the photo, below.

John Atkinson, 26

Atkinson was <a href="http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/beautiful-soul-john-atkinson-26-13078861" target="_blank" data-beacon="{&quot;p&quot;:{&quot;lnid&quot;:&quot;leaving the arena&quot;,&quot;mpid&quot;:20,&quot;plid&quot;:&quot;http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/beautiful-soul-john-atkinson-26-13078861&quot;}}" data-beacon-parsed="true">leaving the arena</a> when the bomb struck, the Manchester Evening News reported.According to his Facebook tribute page, Atkinson&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/john.atkinson.3785" target="_blank" data-beacon="{&quot;p&quot;:{&quot;lnid&quot;:&quot;lived in Manchester&quot;,&quot;mpid&quot;:21,&quot;plid&quot;:&quot;https://www.facebook.com/john.atkinson.3785&quot;}}" data-beacon-parsed="true">lived in Manchester</a>, studied health and social at Bury College, and was a Manchester United soccer fan.

Olivia Campbell, 15

Olivia's mother Charlotte Campbell made a wrenching appeal on British television Tuesday for help in finding her -- but later announced her death on Facebook.
Olivia's mother Charlotte Campbell made a wrenching appeal on British television Tuesday for help in finding her -- but later announced her death on Facebook.

Alison Howe

Howe, who was in her 40s and from Royton in Greater Manchester, was picking up her 15-year-old daughter from the concert when the bomb exploded.
Howe, who was in her 40s and from Royton in Greater Manchester, was picking up her 15-year-old daughter from the concert when the bomb exploded.

Lisa Lees

Lees, a friend of Howe who was also in her 40s and from Royton was outside the arena with Howe to pick up her daughter.&nbsp;
Lees, a friend of Howe who was also in her 40s and from Royton was outside the arena with Howe to pick up her daughter. 

Martyn Hett, 29

Hett a PR manager from Stockport was "iconic and beautiful" his boyfriend Russell Hayward wrote. "He left this world exactly how he lived, the centre of attention."
Hett a PR manager from Stockport was "iconic and beautiful" his boyfriend Russell Hayward wrote. "He left this world exactly how he lived, the centre of attention."

Nell Jones, 14

The teen was praised as a &ldquo;very bright&rdquo; and &ldquo;popular&rdquo; student by Denis Oliver, her headteacher at Holmes Chapel Comprehensive and Sixth Form in Cheshire East, northwest England.
The teen was praised as a “very bright” and “popular” student by Denis Oliver, her headteacher at Holmes Chapel Comprehensive and Sixth Form in Cheshire East, northwest England.

Angelika and Marcin Klis

The pair, in their 40s, were waiting for their two daughters when tragedy struck.
The pair, in their 40s, were waiting for their two daughters when tragedy struck.

Jane Tweddle-Taylor

The mother of three, in her 50s, worked as a receptionist at South Shore Academy in Blackpool, the Manchester Evening News noted.
The mother of three, in her 50s, worked as a receptionist at South Shore Academy in Blackpool, the Manchester Evening News noted.

Michelle Kiss

Kiss &ldquo;was a loving wife to Tony, mother to Dylan, Elliot and Millie, as well as daughter to Mick and Christine and sister to Nichola,&rdquo; her family said in a statement, per the Manchester Evening News.
Kiss “was a loving wife to Tony, mother to Dylan, Elliot and Millie, as well as daughter to Mick and Christine and sister to Nichola,” her family said in a statement, per the Manchester Evening News.

Kelly Brewster, 32

The civil servant from Sheffield, Yorkshire, reportedly died in an act of valor.
The civil servant from Sheffield, Yorkshire, reportedly died in an act of valor.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.