Ohio lawmaker blames mass shootings on ‘drag queen advocates,' video games, ‘open borders'

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio - An Ohio state representative blamed the mass shootings that happened over the weekend on “drag queen advocates,” violent video games and gay marriage, among other things, in a since-deleted Facebook post.

Two mass shootings happened in less than 24 hours of each other in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio.

In El Paso, 22 people were killed and 26 others injured when a 21-year-old man drove out to a Walmart shopping center and opened fire. Authorities identified him as Patrick Crusius, of Allen, Texas, and were investigating the shooting as a domestic terrorism case.

A 24-year-old suspect identified as Connor Betts killed nine people, including his 22-year-old sister, with an assault weapon in a downtown district of Dayton.

Candice Keller, a Republican from Middletown, posted the list of reasons she believed the suspects opened fire as a private post on her Facebook page, according to the New York Post.

“After every mass shooting, the liberals start the blame game. Why not place the blame where it belongs,” her post began.

She stated that the “breakdown of the traditional American family” was because of “drag queen advocates,” gay marriage and children without a father.

“Fatherlessness, a subject no one discusses or believes is relevant; ignoring of violent video games; the relaxing of laws against criminals (open borders),” she said.

Keller also blamed the legalization of marijuana, “failed school policies,” Obama, a “hatred of our veterans” and the Democrats in Congress.

“Did I forget anybody? The list is long. And the fury will continue,” she said at the end of the post.

It quickly caught the attention of several other Ohio lawmakers and Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones, who tweeted several times that Keller should be ashamed of herself.

“Shame shame shame Candice Keller,” one tweet said.

Another tweet from Jones suggested that Keller “resign at once.”

A councilman in Cincinnati posted the phone number of Keller’s office in Columbus and told people to call in to voice their concerns about her Facebook post.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.