DeMarcus Lawrence has emphatic response to Uvalde, Texas, school shooting

On Tuesday, a gunman opened fire at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas killing at least 19 children and two teachers. Uvalde is a city just west of San Antonio and about five hours away from where the Dallas Cowboys play in Arlington. The massacre marked the 11th school shooting since 2007 in which four or more people were killed. It was also the deadliest school shooting since 26 people were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, ten years ago.

The horrible scene sent fear, sadness, and concern across America. Parents, teachers, and many others found themselves asking when enough will finally be enough to make a change. Several athletes felt the same way. Athletes from the NBA, MLB, NHL, and NFL took to social media to try and use their platforms to spark change. Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons even expressed a need for change.

Parsons’ defensive teammate, DeMarcus Lawrence, was incredibly disturbed and upset by the shooting as well. The Cowboys defender was incredibly active on social media on Tuesday afternoon and evening in an effort to try and figure out how he could help the situation. Instead of just sending out “thoughts and prayers,” Lawrence asked the community how he could help and tried to team up with other athletes to make a difference.

For a man often focused on tackles, winning a Super Bowl, and more, sports took a backseat amidst OTAs on Tuesday.

Cowboys DE DeMarcus Lawrence using his platform to demand change in the wake of the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting

Perhaps one of the more powerful of Lawrence’s tweets was when he directly called out Texas governor Greg Abbott, a man who has long supported the NRA and gun rights. Abbott is even set to speak at an NRA convention in Houston, Texas, this Friday just three days after the devastating shooting.

Lawrence even directly responded to a tweet from Abbott where the governor explained that he’s mourning the loss of the victims. The Cowboys defender wanted the governor to help implement more safety and security at schools that can’t afford adequate protection.

Lawrence tried to increase his platform even further by involving other pro athletes. He retweeted a tweet from LeBron James and asked the NBA athlete to work together with him to help schools.

From there, Tank tried to crowdsource his Twitter followers to help figure out where he could give financial support. It’s truly inspiring to see an athlete use his platform to help better his community and speak up for what he believes in. The next day at OTAs, Lawrence was not shy when the press asked him about the shootings. He continued to express his belief that not enough was being done to make a change and conveyed his worry about his kids.

Although he is a Kansas native, Lawrence has been a Dallas resident and a member of the Cowboys for eight years now. The defensive end considers Texas his home and wants it to be a safe place for his children. When there was a chance the defender would be a cap casualty this offseason, he made sure to make it known that he wanted to remain in Dallas and continue to raise his family there.

Texas is more than just the place where Lawrence plays football. It’s his community and where his family lives. It’s commendable and admirable to see Lawrence advocate for change in the state he has called home for over eight years.