A gunman near a shopping mall and Walmart shot and killed multiple individuals, injuring dozens more, during a shooting spree in El Paso, Texas on Saturday.
The shooting resulted in at least 23 injuries, CNN reported, though reporting from the local Patch affiliate had the number much higher. There are as many as 18 individuals who were killed, though that number could go up, too, as more information is learned.
“This was a massacre. The numbers are shocking,” U.S> Rep. Veronica Escobar, the member of Congress who represents the area, said.
President Donald Trump, hours after the shooting happened, announced his support to the victims of the shooting in a tweet on Saturday afternoon.
“Terrible shootings in ElPaso [sic], Texas,” Trump wrote. “Reports are very bad, many killed…Spoke to Governor to pledge total support of Federal government.”
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
Less than 15 minutes later, however, Trump quoted a tweet from Colby Covington, a Welterweight mixed martial arts championship fighter, who had himself sent a tweet earlier in which he and Trump had posed in the White House. Trump held the championship belt over his shoulder in the photo op.
Covington had sent the tweet out the day before, but Trump sent the tweet out immediately after his other social media post regarding the shooting. In quoting the tweet, Trump wished Covington good luck in an upcoming fight. “You are a real champ! #MAGA” Trump added.
Fight hard tonight Colby. You are a real Champ! #MAGA https://t.co/dj3JlWQu7i
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 3, 2019
Several viewed Trump’s tweet of the mixed martial artist as inappropriate, occurring too soon and in too close proximity to his tweet about the mass shooting. Some took to social media to voice their dissatisfactions.
He literally moved on from the tweet about the El Paso shooting in 14 minutes.
If that doesn't embody the current landscape with how we deal with mass shootings, I don't know what the hell does. pic.twitter.com/4ospgTFAQt
— Erick Fernandez (@ErickFernandez) August 3, 2019
Trump moved on from the mass shooting in El Paso in less than 15 minutes pic.twitter.com/XNxXGsJifk
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 3, 2019
Imagine if your life was transformed today by the shooting in El Paso and you wanted to know what your President was saying, and you looked and saw that what he was saying was good luck to an MMA fighter. I mean, what the fuck?
— Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) August 3, 2019
Texas, please never forget that before bodies were even cold from a mass shooting, Trump was tweeting about a UFC match
— Roland Scahill (@rolandscahill) August 3, 2019
You can tell Trump is really torn up about this mass shooting. pic.twitter.com/1R1vWV7tvy
— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) August 3, 2019
According to social activist and journalist Shaun King, the shooter left behind a manifesto, in which he stated he ascribed to white nationalist beliefs. The shooter also said he performed the horrific act “because immigrants are taking over this country,” King added in his tweet.