Rickey Smiley pulled himself together to host his syndicated radio show on Monday morning, hours after his youngest daughter Aaryn Smiley was shot multiple times in Texas.
Aaryn was shot three times at a fast food restaurant in Houston on Sunday. Rickey fought back tears as he explained that he was in the process of booking a flight to Houston to see his daughter, who is recovering in a hospital.
“All the stuff these people trying to do to fight for the rights of Black people. This is no discredit to Black Lives Matter because I believe that and I’m with that movement 110% and one has nothing to do with the other, but there are some criminals in our community that someone needs to do something about,” Rickey said.
He continued: “I just pray. I’m sitting up here a gunshot victim myself and I’m still up here fighting and praying for the rights of Black people and all of the parents that had to bury their loved ones due to gun violence in our own community by our own people. Absolutely disgusting.”
The news comes as 31 people were shot and 5 killed during a weekend of violence in Atlanta. The Rickey Smiley Morning Show is based in Atlanta.
