HOUSTON — Mayor Sylvester Turner continued to push back Wednesday against a prominent Houston pastor's political comments and he called for backup from Police Chief Troy Finner.
Houston's Second Baptist Church pastor Dr. Ed Young called out local Democrats during his Sunday sermon and blamed them for crime in Houston.
“Houston in all probability right now is the most dangerous city in America to live in. You see any difference when you put left-wing progressives in office?” Young said. "If Houston and Harris County is to survive, we had better throw those bums out of office."
“I’m not a bum. I’m not a bum,” Turner said Wednesday at the City Council meeting. “And when people say Houston is the most dangerous city in America, I take offense to that, I really do, because that then drives fear.”
Turner pointed to new gun laws passed by the GOP-controlled legislature and signed by Gov. Greg Abbott.
“Police chiefs across the state of Texas did not ask for House Bill 1927, permit-less carry, no license, no training required,” Turner said. “Police chiefs across the state of Texas spoke against that, and they warned that if it’s passed, crimes would increase by 13 to 15% and it did.”
He said those laws are partly to blame for much of the violent crime across the state.
“There are more guns on our streets than there are people and they are in the hands of people between the ages of 16 and 24 and those ages are driving these numbers," Turner said.
Finner pointed to numbers comparing 2021 and 2022 and said violent crimes in Houston are down 10% overall.
“It’s important that we get the numbers and facts right when you look at crime in our city,” Finner said. “Homicide numbers are down 1%. We are today at 300 homicides. Last year, there was 304 at this time.”
Here's the breakdown of violent crimes compared to last year, according to HPD.
- Aggravated assault: Down 10%
- Human trafficking: Down 37%
- Kidnapping: Up 44%
- Murder: Down 1%
- Robbery: Down 7%
- Sex assault: Down 28%
Turner and others believe Young crossed the line politically, something a church is not supposed to do under IRS tax laws.
“If you want to be a politician and be carrying some people’s political agenda, then you enter the political arena," Turner said.
Turner said he has reached out to Young, but was unsuccessful. KHOU 11 News also reached out to Second Baptist and Young’s team for a response. They are declining to comment.