Democratic presidential hopeful Pete
Buttigieg on Sunday called on President Donald Trump to condemn white
nationalism following a mass shooting that left 20 people dead and
more than two dozen wounded.
According to various reports, the
shooting took place around 10 a.m. on Saturday at a Walmart near
Cielo Vista Mall in El Paso, Texas.
Police said that they have one suspect,
a 21-year-old man from Dallas, in custody. He reportedly wrote a
4-page manifesto that includes anti-immigrant statements. El Paso is
on the border with Mexico. At least three Mexican citizens were
killed in the incident, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador
said on Twitter.
Speaking with CNN's Jake Tapper,
Buttigieg, the openly gay mayor of South Bend, Indiana, said that
America “can't go on like this.”
“We gotta change our thinking,”
Buttigieg said. “We can absolutely honor Second Amendment rights
for responsible gun owners without shooting down even the most basic,
common-sense measures to save American lives, including our children,
or we can fail yet again. The choice is right in front of us. The
question is whether we're serious about this or not. We can't go on
like this.”
In a tweet promoting his appearance,
Buttigieg added: “Will the President of the United States leave his
golf resort, go back to Washington, address the nation, condemn –
in no uncertain terms – white nationalism, and call for the Senate
to convene tomorrow to enact at least the most basic gun safety
reforms that most Americans want?”
On Monday, Trump lashed out the media,
suggesting that unbiased news coverage contributed to the tragedy in
El Paso and another shooting in Dayton, Ohio over the weekend.
“The Media has a big responsibility
to life and safety in our Country,” he tweeted. “Fake News has
contributed greatly to the anger and rage that has built up over many
years. News coverage has got to start being fair, balanced and
unbiased, or these terrible problems will only get worse!”
In another tweet, Trump called on
lawmakers to approve “strong background checks” on gun purchasers
and “marrying this legislation with desperately needed immigration
reform.”
Other Democratic presidential
candidates, including New Jersey Senator Cory Booker and former
Representative Beto O'Rourke, have said that Trump's anti-immigrant
rhetoric played a part in the shootings.