What was supposed to be a critical interview with Republican Senator Ted Cruz turned into a bitter confrontation for a British reporter. “Stop this kind of propaganda,” Cruz responds to the Sky News reporter’s questions.

“How can you explain that such shootings only happen in America?” It’s one of the questions the Sky News reporter repeatedly asks Cruz, who represents the state of Texas. And also: “How is it possible that an 18-year-old can get his hands on two AR-15s?” However, the Republican senator refuses to answer the critical questions and then calls the journalist partisan. “Stop this kind of propaganda, you are following a political agenda.”

The video of the failed interview has since gone viral on social media. At the same time, criticism of the US gun lobby NRA is mounting.

Texan Governor Greg Abbott is also under fire. Faced with mounting criticism after the shooting, he will not attend the annual convention of the powerful gun lobby NRA on Friday, NBC News has reported.