Many Democrats, including most 2020 presidential candidates, were quick to politicize the tragic mass shooting in Virginia Beach to push their gun control agenda, but Second Amendment supporters weren’t about to take any of it lying down.
News broke Friday that public utilities department engineer DeWayne Craddock, 40, allegedly used a .45-caliber handgun with a sound suppressor to murder 12 of his former colleagues, but all Democrats needed was news of a mass shooting to echo their calls for gun control.
11 innocent lives cut down. 11 more futures denied. When will we finally say enough is enough? It’s long past time to hold our leaders accountable. Jill and I are heartbroken that more American families are suffering tonight in Virginia Beach.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) June 1, 2019
Jane and I are grieving for the victims in Virginia Beach and their families.
The days of the NRA controlling Congress and writing our gun laws must end. Congress must listen to the American people and pass gun safety legislation. This sickening gun violence must stop. https://t.co/iSAtYWg7HH
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) May 31, 2019
Heartbroken for the victims and their families of the Virginia Beach shooting and grateful for the first responders on the scene. This senseless act of violence should not be normal. Too many communities have been shattered by gun violence — we cannot continue to stand idly by. https://t.co/JC4L7glGtE
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) May 31, 2019
I am praying for the victims of the shooting in Virginia Beach and their families.
Yet another horrific tragedy that reminds us how much work needs to be done to address gun violence in America. This cannot continue.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) June 1, 2019
11 people dead. My heart breaks for those killed in another senseless act of gun violence & the loved ones of the victims whose lives are now shattered. We have the power to stop this—we can & will pass commonsense gun safety laws to end these tragedies. https://t.co/twaqJ99l95
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) May 31, 2019
Thinking of the Virginia Beach community, the families forever changed, the lives cut short by gun violence and the inaction in this country to prevent it. I want to work with you to meet this crisis with the urgency it demands and finally end this epidemic.
— Beto O’Rourke (@BetoORourke) June 1, 2019
The shooting in Virginia Beach is a nightmare come to life – a disgruntled employee who massacred innocents. My heart goes out to the families and individuals who were killed and injured. We have to make it harder for people to get and use guns that can cause such tragedies.
— Andrew Yang (@AndrewYang) June 1, 2019
I am outraged and heartbroken.
How much longer will we ignore the pain of our communities? We need to immediately confront the power of the NRA and end the epidemic of gun violence in this country. https://t.co/tjWCPtC7B2
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) June 1, 2019
The words “scene of carnage” in the first sentence of this article should be enough of an awakening that we have a gun crisis in our country. https://t.co/RYCMOBbnLd
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) June 1, 2019
Saddened by news of another mass shooting at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center.
The House has acted to address America’s gun violence epidemic.
And we will continue to do so.
The Senate must now step up.
Thoughts and Prayers are not enough.
— Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) May 31, 2019
Another community shattered. Another group of families forced to mourn loved ones. Another mass shooting by someone with bad intentions who could easily get a gun. Our hearts can break for Virginia Beach and we can choose to do something to stop this. We can do both.
— Rep. Joe Kennedy III (@RepJoeKennedy) June 1, 2019
The news out of Virginia Beach is simply devastating. Public servants who just showed up to do their job are not coming home tonight because of gun violence. This story has played out too many times in too many towns. We need to stand up and stop this. #EnoughIsEnough
— John Hickenlooper (@Hickenlooper) May 31, 2019
My thoughts are with the Virginia Beach wounded & the families of those who lost loved ones today. We can’t become numb to these tragedies. We must pass gun safety legislation. The vast majority of Americans agree. We just need to get people in Washington who will represent them.
— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) June 1, 2019
Today’s tragic mass shooting in Virginia Beach has left another community heartbroken. Too many communities have felt pain caused by gun violence, yet little has been done to end the bloodshed. Read my full statement here: https://t.co/GqLuJ7a42R#VirginiaBeachStrong
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) June 1, 2019
We can’t accept this as normal, we need to take action on gun safety. We can’t go on like this.
— John Delaney (@JohnDelaney) June 1, 2019
Second Amendment supporters, however, pushed back on the notion of using a senseless tragedy to take away gun rights. (RELATED: One Of Georgia’s Safest Cities REQUIRES Its Citizens To Own A Gun)
This was a heinous tragedy. Your remarks move me to ask: What do 5 million members of the NRA have to do with this man’s crime? Was this man a card-carrying member? His purchases were legal, whose fault is that? Does he bear any blame at all? Serious questions. https://t.co/Y7LDftiCwZ
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) June 1, 2019
My heart goes out to the people of Virginia Beach in this tragedy. The shooter, a city employee, in a designated “gun free zone”, killed 12 & injured 4 – I’m watching @NBCNews already using this to make anti-2nd amendment comments, not reporting facts https://t.co/h5Fo6nz2Io
— Tony Shaffer (@T_S_P_O_O_K_Y) June 1, 2019
Let’s talk about the number 11.
Today, 11 people were killed by a shooter in Virginia Beach.
Democrats immediately call for gun control.
An illegal alien serial killer in Texas is charged with killing 11 elderly women.
Democrats silent. Speechless. #BillyChemirmir
— #ThePersistence (@ScottPresler) June 1, 2019
The Virginia Beach shooter was a disgruntled public utilities employee.
Police officers shot & killed the shooter.
Yes, good guys with guns stopped the bad guy with a gun.
— #ThePersistence (@ScottPresler) June 1, 2019
Of Democrats in Congrees, TPUSA’s Charlie Kirk wrote: “They don’t care about people. They don’t care about the victims. They only care about taking away your rights. They only care about power.”
Democrats in Congress were using the shooting in Virginia to push gun control before the number of victims was even known
They don’t care about people
They don’t care about the victims
They only care about taking away your rights.
They only care about power.
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) June 1, 2019
THREAD ON GUN CONTROL:
The #GunControlNow crowd is mostly made up of good, very empathetic people who know very little about guns. I don’t blame them for being afraid when they see so many innocent people dying from mass shootings.
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) June 1, 2019
Democrats and the media always rush to push gun control laws immediately following any shooting before the facts have a chance to come out because most of the time the facts show that their proposed gun control measures would have done little to nothing to prevent the tragedy
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) May 31, 2019
Talk show host Neal Boortz pointed out that the shooting happened “in a GUN FREE zone.”
11 killed in Virginia Beach …….. in a GUN FREE zone. Let that sink in.
— Neal Boortz (@Talkmaster) May 31, 2019
Just one day before the shooting, PragerU released a video stating that “nearly 99% of all mass public shootings happened in gun-free zones.”
Did you know?
Since 1950, nearly 99% of all mass public shootings happened in gun-free zones.
More gun control does not equal less gun violence.
Watch ???? https://t.co/TDV0TGVPkj pic.twitter.com/6vgrdybcqD
— PragerU (@prageru) May 30, 2019