Political
reaction from area political leaders
By Will Collette
U{DATE (1:15 PM EDT). Bloomberg is reporting a sharp spike in the prices for gun manufacturers shares. Bloomberg calls this a predictable pattern after a mass shooting. The casualty figures have been revised upwards and now stand at 58 dead and 515 wounded.
News reports from the scene of America’s worst mass shooting to date offer these facts. 64 year old Stephen Paddock (photo at left) fired on a crowd attending a Las Vegas country music concert with automatic weapons. He killed at least 50 and sent more than 400 to area hospitals.
He had been camped out in a room on the 32nd
floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino that overlooked the concert site.
The 64-year-old Paddock was found dead in a hotel room, police said.
The Las
Vegas Review-Journal, the city’s main newspaper, quoted Paddock’s brother Eric
Paddock, 55, of Orlando, Florida:
“We have no idea how this happened. It’s like an asteroid just
fell on top of our family… There is no reason we can imagine why Stephen would
do something like this... Just no reason, no warning… As far as we knew, he had
enough money to live the rest of his life in comfort.”
Donald Trump responded
with a Tweet of course:
“My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. God bless you!”
Other leaders had a more substantive
response, including Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy. After the Sandy Hook
Elementary School massacre, Murphy has led Congressional efforts, such as they
are, to control automatic weapons used at most of America’s mass killings.
“Nowhere but America do horrific large-scale mass shootings happen with this degree of regularity. Last night’s massacre may go down as the deadliest in our nation’s history, but already this year there have been more mass shootings than days in the year.
“This must stop. It is positively infuriating that my colleagues in Congress are so afraid of the gun industry that they pretend there aren’t public policy responses to this epidemic.
There are, and the thoughts and prayers of politicians are cruelly hollow if they are paired with continued legislative indifference. It’s time for Congress to get off its ass and do something,”
- Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT)
“The developing news out of Las Vegas is utterly shocking and horrifying. My heart aches for the victims of last night’s shooting, concertgoers who were enjoying a night of music before a shooter took their lives in a senseless act of violence. I am also immensely grateful for the first responders and medical professionals working to tend the hundreds of wounded.
“Now, more than ever, we must unite to combat the growing epidemic of violence in this country. As Las Vegas law enforcement continues their investigation, I pray for the victims and their families and that we as a society can join together to prevent future such attacks.”
- Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI)
“Last night, a gunman opened fire on the Las Vegas Strip. The victims were innocent Americans attending a country music festival. 50 are dead. More than 400 were taken to area hospitals. I am keeping them in my thoughts and prayers today.”
“This was the worst mass shooting in American history. And every day, in cities and towns across America, this epidemic of gun violence is ending lives and destroying families. It has to stop. And Congress has the responsibility to act.”
“To my Republican colleagues who control the House – please join us to and show the American people we are united in the face of this crisis. Let’s come together and end this violence.”
- Congressman David Cicilline (D-RI)
