Late Sunday night, a gunman opened fire on an outdoor country music festival in Las Vegas, killing at least 50 and injuring hundreds more. It is now the deadliest mass shooting in modern history.
President Donald Trump called the shooting “an act of pure evil” in a press briefing Monday morning. “I have directed that our great flag be flown at half-staff,” he added. He told reporters he will visit Las Vegas on Wednesday. (He had previously planned a visit to Puerto Rico on Tuesday.)
Trump, who campaigned on gun rights and in February rolled back an Obama-era regulation that prevented certain people with mental illness from acquiring weapons, first expressed his sympathies to the victims of the attack on Twitter early Monday morning.
My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. God bless you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2017
Authorities believe the accused shooter, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, killed himself. His brother, Eric Paddock, who lives in Florida, told the Orlando Sentinel that the family was “dumbfounded” by the event. “When you guys find out why this happened, let us know. I have no idea whatsoever,” he said.
