The hashtag #GunControlNow flooded social media after at least 20 people were killed and 26 others seriously injured in a mass shooting at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas on Saturday. It is the second time the hashtag has trended this week after three people were shot dead at a California garlic festival on July 29.
Less than 24 hours after the mass shooting in El Paso, police and emergency services responded to reports of an active shooter in Dayton, Ohio. Dayton Police Department have confirmed at least nine people have died and 16 others have been injured. The shooter is dead.
Correction – shooting occurred at 1am…not 1:22am https://t.co/j61xlQwLFy
— Dayton Police Dept. (@DaytonPolice) August 4, 2019
#BREAKING: Just getting on scene in Oregon District. Dozens of police here. Working to confirm numbers and conditions on those shot. @dayton247now pic.twitter.com/hKtaoLTJpN
— Molly Reed (@Mollyreednews) August 4, 2019
On Friday, Gilroy Police Chief Scot Smithee confirmed the Gilroy Garlic Festival shooter died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. In El Paso, a 21-year-old suspect is in custody, and officials are investigating whether a manifesto possibly written by the suspect has a “nexus to a hate crime.”
US President Donald Trump said the reports from El Paso are “very bad.”
Terrible shootings in ElPaso, Texas. Reports are very bad, many killed. Working with State and Local authorities, and Law Enforcement. Spoke to Governor to pledge total support of Federal Government. God be with you all!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 3, 2019
“Today’s shootings in El Paso , Texas, was not only tragic, it was an act of cowardice,” he tweeted separately. “I know that I stand with everyone in this Country to condemn today’s hateful act. There are no reasons or excuses that will ever justify killing innocent people … Melania and I send our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to the great people of Texas.”
Vice President Mike Pence said he was “saddened by the loss of so many innocent lives in El Paso.”
“Our prayers are with the victims, their families, and the entire community. Grateful for the courageous efforts and swift action by federal law enforcement and local first responders,” he said.
At the time of writing, Trump has not commented on the Ohio shootings yet.
Elsewhere on Twitter, thousands are using #GunControlNow to demand action from the government.
I’m seeing a lot of folks saying not to politicize the mass shooting in El Paso. That it’s too soon.
There’ve been 249 mass shootings in 215 days in 2019. When, exactly, are we supposed to talk about it?
It’s not “too soon”. It’s too late. #guncontrolnow #gunreformnow #elpasotx
— Holly Figueroa O’Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) August 3, 2019
People calling for #GunControlNow aren’t “exploiting a tragedy;” they’re trying to prevent the next one.#elpasoshooting#walmartshooting
— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) August 4, 2019
Look out your window, @realDonaldTrump.
Hundreds of @MomsDemand and #StudentsDemandAction volunteers are demanding you ACT.
Stop asking Americans to stand up to gunmen because you’re too afraid to stand up to the NRA. #GunControlNow #GunReformNow El Paso pic.twitter.com/ut9NGeJ7OW
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) August 4, 2019
It’s 2019 and people are STILL refusing to accept that America’s lax gun laws and flippant attitudes towards firearms are the fucking problem. #GunControlNow
— Mike (@Mike_P_Williams) August 3, 2019
New Zealand acted within days of their mass shooting, whereas we can’t do a fucking thing because the Republican gun humpers’ feelings will get hurt.#GunControlNow
— Alex Cole (@acnewsitics) August 3, 2019
Keep your thoughts and prayers.
“If people come to you for help and you say, ‘God will help you,’ then you are acting disloyally to God. For you should understand that God has sent you to help the needy, not to refer the poor back to God.”
-The Lelover Rebbe
— Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg (@TheRaDR) August 4, 2019
The El Paso shooter graduated from my high school in Texas.
Last year, we staged a walkout because we knew Parkland wasn’t an isolated incident.
There is NO reason to think that gun violence won’t affect you. We are all at the same risk.
Vote accordingly. #GunControlNow pic.twitter.com/J2ZDm28W1f
— Parker Butler (@parkerpbutler) August 3, 2019
A number of democratic presidential candidates, including Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and Joe Biden, have all condemned the mass shootings on Twitter and called for an end to the country’s “gun violence epidemic.”
The news out of El Paso is devastating. I’m heartbroken for the victims and their families. Far too many communities have suffered through tragedies like this already. We must act now to end our country’s gun violence epidemic.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) August 3, 2019
Everyone in America, myself included, is devastated by the news of this latest attack in El Paso. Sadly, after each of these tragedies the Senate does nothing. That has got to change.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) August 3, 2019
Heartbroken to hear the news from El Paso. Our thoughts are with those impacted by yet another senseless act of gun violence in America.
How many lives must be cut short? How many communities must be torn apart? It’s past time we take action and end our gun violence epidemic.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 3, 2019
According to nonprofit organisation Gun Violence Archive, there have been 251 mass shootings across the US in 2019.
