AUSTIN, Texas -- Hours after the massacre at Sandy Hook elementary school unfolded, an Austin business owner took to his personal Facebook page to express his feelings.
Now, Eddie Nimibutr is facing a growing backlash and speaking out about the post.
On Friday Nimibutr wrote, in part, “I’m failing to give a damn about the CT shooting. I don’t care if a bunch of white kids got killed. When kids from minority groups get shot nobody cares.” The rest had a fair amount of expletives and was not appropriate for us to publish.
KEYETV spoke to Nimibutr on Monday who offered up an apology, “it was a bad response, I shouldn’t have said it in those words,” said Nimibutr. “Looking back at it, it was better to say something than to be silent.”
The post shared on his personal Facebook spread rapidly, garnering harsh criticism and set off a war of words.
“I’m a little bit shocked by it and I’m a little bit scared too,” said Nimibutr.
He says he’s been getting death threats and people driving by his house and business.
Nimibutr claims his intentions were to start a conversation about a touchy subject, and call attention to mental health and acts of violence around the world.
“Nothing is being done, I mean were talking about gun laws, you know, Congress is going to do this, Congress is going to do that,” he said.
He says he gave into emotions with his initial response.
“I do apologize, because maybe it was a little insensitive to write something like that, right that day the day of the shooting.”
On Monday, the doors to his Austin restaurant were closed, the lights turned off.
He says they’ve been overwhelmed with angry and threatening phone calls.
A Facebook page has popped up calling for protests against him and the restaurant, by the hundreds people asking for an apology.
He tells KEYE TV for the time being the restaurant will stay closed for fear of retaliation against him and his employees.
