Twitter Melts Down After Trump Says Synagogue Needed An Armed Guard
Gun control “had little to do” with the shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue Saturday that killed 11 people, President Donald Trump insisted. But the death toll would have been much lower had the synagogue hired an armed guard, he claimed.
Twitter imploded.
If the Tree of Life synagogue had an “armed guard inside ... they would have been able to stop them,” Trump told reporters. “Maybe there would have been nobody killed except for him,” he added, referring to suspected gunman Robert Bowers.
The gunman was armed with an assault rifle and handguns, according to police.
Twitter responses slammed Trump for blaming the synagogue for failing to have a guard, and pointed out that four of the six people wounded in the attack were police officers, all armed. They scorched him for his outright refusal to consider how gun laws affect gun violence in America, and for his apparent aim to put even more firearms in people’s hands.
But what drove Twitter users particularly bonkers was the idea of armed guards in places of worship.
Trump says Tree of Life synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh has “little to do with” gun laws, says the synagogue should have “had some kind of a protection” inside the temple, and later blames synagogue for not having armed guards. pic.twitter.com/AWg5AwkEKp
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) October 27, 2018
And he never mentioned the victims...
— Tod Young (@tod_young) October 27, 2018
Yeah, I'm sure that's the message the churches want to communicate.. pic.twitter.com/8noo57AQAA
— Jimi S (@jimi2124) October 27, 2018
Yes...bc you of course want guns at a bris.
— GiGi Robin (@ladyathos) October 27, 2018
Rabbis with rifles. That's the answer
— Bill Bage (@BillB204) October 27, 2018
And why stop there. Pastors with pistols. Kids with carbines. Oldies with oozies
— Bill Bage (@BillB204) October 27, 2018
I would rather place restrictions on who can buy the weapons of war than live in a country where we have to arm teachers and rabbis.
— Scott Hayden (@ScottHa92264813) October 28, 2018
Oh yes. So it's the victims' fault yet again.
— Anne Ward (@AnneCW) October 27, 2018
Armed trained police were shot. I’m sure guards would have done so much better.
— Jizopeat (@cldala) October 27, 2018
@POTUS @RealDonaldTrump The police were located right around the corner, arrived in one minute, and three of them were shot. The problem is that the killer had an #AssaultWeapon. That's why he killed 11 people before armed police could stop him. #BanAssaultWeapons! Be #ProLife
— spaniel (@anotherspaniel) October 27, 2018
Somebody needs to tell our NRA-bought president that there were armed guards at Columbine, Virginia Tech, Pulse, the high schools in Parkland and Santa Fe, etc. A deranged civilian w/an AR-15 and a death wish will always overpower security guards. What we need is #GunControlNow.
— Candy Kirby (@candykirby) October 27, 2018
@POTUS Really? The guy had an AR-15 style war weapon. What good would a guard at the door done? This is most assuredly a gun issue. How did the guy get a weapon of war?
— Pam Oberembt (@POberembt) October 27, 2018
That’s what he wants America to become. Everywhere you go, schools, work, grocery store, place of worship will have armed guards. 😢 #NotInMyAmerica
— Resistinginwa (@resistinginwa) October 27, 2018
Dystopia. I want less guns. I blame the shooter and anyone who defends having more guns.
— 🇺🇸🇵🇷🌊 Name is Bishop (@BishesBrew) October 27, 2018
ANOTHER mass murder event with an AR-15 used. This weapon could be moved to Class 3 weapon status TODAY and would be off store shelves TOMORROW. It could be done with a simple written directive to BATFE to classify the AR-15 as a "Destructive Device" which it obviously is.
— Jack'sHouseOfPancakes (@RegimeChangeInc) October 27, 2018
After getting $30 million from the NRA, Trump will advocate more guns for everyone, probably schoolkids too.
— WhyGee (@sacmom3) October 27, 2018
My sister lives near there. She had to abandon her car when this happened. She was impressed by the quick action of the police & others. She was horrified by the words of @realDonaldTrump . She says the area is “ a war zone.”
— Pat Dunham Marzola (@pat_marzola) October 27, 2018
Related Coverage
Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting Suspect Charged With 29 Counts
Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting Suspect Robert Bowers Has Long Trail Of Anti-Semitism
Thousands Gather At Vigil After Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting: 'I'm A Different Jew Today'
Pittsburgh Synagogue Rabbi Ripped Weak Gun Control, Do-Nothing Politicians After Parkland
Trump Suggests Armed Guard Could Have Stopped Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting
Trump Touts Death Penalty After Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
