Updated: 7:10am – US President Donald Trump condemned the mass shooting in Las Vegas as an “act of pure evil”. He said the nation would unite behind the survivors, but however stayed away from a debate over gun control laws in the country.
“Our unity cannot be shattered by evil, our bonds cannot be broken by violence,” Trump said. “We call upon the bonds that unite us: our faith, our family, and our shared values. We call upon the bonds of citizenship, the ties of community, and the comfort of our common humanity.”
The President also offered condolences to the families of victims. “We cannot fathom their pain. We cannot imagine their loss,” he said.
Among the victims were football coaches, school teachers, real estate agents and local business owners. They were parents, siblings, husbands, wives, neighbours and friends. As news of the carnage poured in, several families frantically scoured news for any information on the survivors. Many people have also started fundraising campaigns for the victims’ families, while many others have vowed to start scholarship funds.
The Investigations so far
Although the Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the attack, authorities have ruled out the involvement of international terror organizations in the shooting. The suspected gunman Stephen Paddock wasn’t on law enforcement’s radar. The police believe that he acted alone.
Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told AP: “I can’t get into the mind of a psychopath at this point.” In his hotel room, Stephen Paddock had 23 guns, including rifles with scopes. Two US officials told AP that two guns were modified to make them fully automatic.
-Indian Express
