Debra Messing Offends with Selfie After UCLA Shooting

Debra Messing at the Tony Awards on June 7, 2015. The actress offended with a selfie she posted as news broke of the UCLA shooting on Wednesday. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

NEW YORK, June 2 (UPI) — Debra Messing is backtracking after offending with an ill-timed selfie after the UCLA shooting.

The 47-year-old actress apologized for posting a photo decrying gun violence as she watched news of the murder-suicide unfold. Former UCLA doctoral student Mainak Sarkar shot and killed professor William Klug before taking his own life Wednesday.

“I’d like to speak to the selfie I posted, part of a predetermined day of advocacy whose goal is to bring awareness to a gun violence in America. We were all asked to post a picture today,” Messing wrote. “As I took the picture, the news broke about the shooting at UCLA.”

“I was so shocked and struck by the horribly irony that yet another shooting was occurring as I was participating in this effort. In an effort to highlight this irony, I posted a picture referencing the breaking news,” she explained.

“I am heartbroken and embarrassed that many people misconstrued my actions and that I caused offense,” the star said. “The horrendous irony of the timing, I was hoping, would shine an even brighter light on the crisis and need for all of us to do something together to make the US safer. I am so truly sorry.”

Messing and her fellow advocates were asked to post a selfie in a t-shirt for Katie Couric‘s controversial “Under the Gun” documentary. Social media users called the actress’ post insensitive and in poor taste, in light of the shooting.

“Horrendous. Watching news about shooting at UCLA with casualties while taking selfie 2bring awareness to gun violence,” the star had captioned the since-deleted photo.

Messing appeared in President Barack Obama‘s anti-gun-violence public service announcement with Jennifer Aniston, Amy Schumer and Sofia Vergara after the San Bernardino shooting in December. The actress is best known for playing Grace Adler on NBC sitcom Will & Grace.

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