Texas Governor Greg Abbott will skip a National Rifle Association (NRA) event in Houston, Texas on Friday and instead make another visit to the town of Uvalde where a recent school shooting left 21 people dead.

Abbott, a Republican, had been scheduled to appear at the NRA Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) Leadership Forum but he will now address the event in prerecorded remarks.

“The governor will be addressing the NRA through prerecorded video,” Abbott spokesperson Mark Miner said.

The governor will instead make a return visit to Uvalde in the wake of a deadly shooting at Robb Elementary School in which 19 children and two adults were killed by the alleged gunman, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos.

His decision comes amid rising anger about the Uvalde shooting and questions about the nature of the police response. There has also been confusion about the timeline of events at Robb Elementary School.

Abbott, who is seeking a third term as governor, had faced pressure and criticism for not canceling his appearance at the NRA event after the shooting. His spokesperson announced on Wednesday that all campaign and political events would be postponed.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.

Greg Abbott Speaks at a Meeting
Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks during the Houston Region Business Coalition’s monthly meeting on October 27, 2021 in Houston, Texas. Abbott will not appear in person at an NRA event on Friday.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images