Like many Americans, New York City officials are stunned in the wake of Sunday night’s mass shooting at a country music concert in Las Vegas.
The shooting, which killed more than 58 people and injured more than 515 others, was the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.
The shooter, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, opened fire from his room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino onto the street below, where the Route 91 Harvest country music festival was taking place.
Paddock was later found dead in his room, where he’d been staying since Thursday and where more than 10 rifles were discovered, officials said according to CNN. It appears Paddock killed himself, Sheriff Joseph Lombardo added.
“No words can possibly describe what happened in Las Vegas last night,” Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted Monday morning. “New York City’s prayers are with the victims and first responders.”
No words can possibly describe what happened in Las Vegas last night. New York City’s prayers are with the victims and the first responders. https://t.co/348m7emGLu
— Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) October 2, 2017
First lady Chirlane McCray echoed the mayor’s statement, tweeting that, “It breaks my heart to wake up to the horrific news out of Las Vegas.”
It breaks my heart to wake up to the horrific news out of Las Vegas. New York City mourns with Las Vegas today.
— Chirlane McCray (@NYCFirstLady) October 2, 2017
In a series of tweets, City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito expressed her horror, first saying she was “disgusted” as initial reports came out and later calling it a “massacre” that she “just can’t comprehend.”
Just madness! What the hell? Just horrified & disgusted. My heart breaks for all those dead and injured. https://t.co/3fR1rTopTk
— Melissa MarkViverito (@MMViverito) October 2, 2017
Dead upped to 50. I just can’t comprehend this. A massacre. The lack of political courage is allowing this to become new normal. https://t.co/7axUTDzI6y
— Melissa MarkViverito (@MMViverito) October 2, 2017
Speaker Mark-Viverito then went after President Donald Trump, saying that “the lack of political courage is allowing this to become new normal” and seeming calling out his tweet offering his “warmest condolences and sympathies” to victims and families after it was declared the shooting was the worst in the nation’s history.
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
Where are the tweets for this, Sr. Trump?? Lack of empathy/compassion your MO. & I reject it. We deserve so much more than what you offer. https://t.co/Y9W7IPNj86
— Melissa MarkViverito (@MMViverito) October 2, 2017
“Where are the tweets for this, Sr. Trump?? Lack of empathy/compassion your MO. & I reject it. We deserve so much more than what you offer,” she added.
In a statement, Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance questioned the country’s gun laws.
“In the aftermath of yet another mass killing, pressing questions are confronting our country: Will we continue to allow the sale and proliferation of automatic, military-style weapons capable of shooting a fusillade of bullets into a crowd in seconds? Will we allow the lawmakers in Washington who represent our interests to chip away at the progress we have made by removing protections designed to keep firearms out of the hands of the mentally ill and domestic violence abusers?” he asked. “Will we allow them to pass life-threatening legislation, like the SHARE Act – which enables dangerous people to easily purchase silencers – and the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which would legalize the possession of concealed and loaded guns across all state lines?”
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams described the shooting as “domestic terror at its worst,” adding that “we said never again after Orlando and Sandy Hook and Fort Hood and Virginia Tech. We cannot continue to set records like Las Vegas.”
The #LasVegasShooting is domestic #terror at its worst. This senseless attack has claimed the lives of dozens of innocent concertgoers.
— Eric Adams (@BPEricAdams) October 2, 2017
We said ‘#neveragain’ after #Orlando, and #SandyHook, and #FortHood, and #VirginiaTech. We cannot continue to set records like #LasVegas.
— Eric Adams (@BPEricAdams) October 2, 2017
Gov. Andrew Cuomo tweeted that the Las Vegas shooting was “yet another heinous act of gun violence.”
This morning we woke up to yet another heinous act of gun violence.
My heart breaks for the victims of the horrific shooting in Las Vegas.
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) October 2, 2017
