Angela Simmons has had a rough 48 hours. The reality star turned heads at the BET Awards when she brought a bedazzled gun purse onto the red carpet. She not only showed off the gun purse, but posed with it as though it was actually a gun. She aimed it at photographers, which didn't go over well, to say the least. Simmons was criticized for her fashion choice, and tried to quiet the situation by issuing an apology video. Evidently, the reality felt that more needed to be said.
Angela Simmons posted a lengthy written apology to Instagram on July 1. She explained her reasoning for bringing out the gun purse, and acknowledged why it may not have been a great idea in retrospect. "I deeply regret that this item, which symbolizes a gun, was inappropriate and insensitive," she wrote over a black background. "Especially given my personal and community experiences with gun violence." She claimed that she merely intended for the purse to "amplify" her beauty, but now views the accessory as a "bad decision."
Angela Simmons Detailed Her Own Experience With Gun Violence
Simmons didn't stop there. She then detailed the ways in which gun violence has impacted her life. "I have personally lost my partner, the father of my child, to gun violence," she added. "I have witnessed its devastating impact on my community in Southeast Queens." From there, Angela Simmons listed the ways in which she has fought gun violence. "My work with Erica Ford," she explained. "And my own organization that creates programs to reduce gun violence and helps those directly impacted by the pandemic, have always been about making peace a lifestyle."
The reality star wrapped up her statement by restating her apology. "I ask for your understanding and forgiveness," she wrote. "And I hope that you can accept my sincere apology." She referred to the gun purse as a "misstep" and promised that she would not let it impact the positive work she's done. "I will not allow it to define my moral compass," she subsequently wrote. "Or my commitment to promoting peace and ending gun violence."