Trump sticks to somber script in wake of Las Vegas shooting refuses to join guns debate
President Donald Trump  stuck to a somber script Monday after at least 59 people were shot dead in Las Vegas  condemning the largest mass shooting in modern U.S. history as an "act of pure evil" and declaring the nation would unite behind the survivors.  He  refused to get into a new debate over gun control.
Faced with the sad and familiar ritual of a president offering consolation after horrific violence  Trump spoke slowly and carefully from the White House Diplomatic Room  focusing not on the identity or possible motive of the shooter but on the nation's efforts to heal.
Trump spoke hours after a gunman on the 32nd floor of a Vegas Strip casino opened fire on people at an outdoor country music festival below. The gunman  64-year-old Stephen Craig Paddock  killed at least 59 people as tens of thousands of concertgoers screamed and ran for their lives. More than 500 people were hurt.
In a measured statement that was revised by aides until moments before he spoke  Trump did not describe the gunman in any way or suggest what might have been behind his actions. He praised the first responders who he said prevented further loss of life and said he would visit Las Vegas on Wednesday. He offered condolences to the families of those killed  saying  "We cannot fathom their pain. We cannot imagine their loss."
 Trump  who owns a hotel in Las Vegas   told associates that  he  feels deep ties to the city.  He  said in public that  his  visit would be "a very  very sad moment for  me  ... for everybody no matter where you are  no matter what your thought process."
 The president  was informed of the shooting early Monday by chief of staff John Kelly  according to White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. He received periodic briefings from Kelly and homeland security adviser Tom Bossert while also monitoring the coverage on cable news. On Twitter  he avoided the kind of inflammatory statements he has issued after some previous tragedies  such as last year's Orlando nightclub shooting  instead offering "warmest condolences" to victims and their families.
Like presidents before him   Trump  marked the events by ordering the American flags at all public buildings across the nation flown at half-staff  and  he  observed a moment of silence on the White House lawn. Unlike  his  predecessor  Barack Obama  who responded to mass shootings by calling for stricter gun control measures   Trump  made no mention of firearms restrictions.
Before he was a candidate   Trump at one point  favored some gun restrictions. He has more recently cast himself as an ardent protector of the Second Amendment. Though Sanders did not dismiss a question about the potential for a bipartisan effort on guns  raising the possibility that  Trump  might be willing to cross the aisle and work with Democratic leaders  the president has proclaimed that if more "good guys" were armed with firearms  there would be fewer gun tragedies.
 Trump 's trip to Las Vegas will come a day after  he  visits hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico  where many have accused the federal government of an inadequate response. Vice President Mike Pence is still scheduled to attend a tax legislation event and fundraiser in Phoenix on Tuesday.
The president also offered a somber response in June  after a shooting at a congressional baseball practice that wounded five  including Republican Rep. Steve Scalise. But  Trump  has drawn criticism for more inflammatory and self-referential reactions to other acts of violence.
After the Orlando shootings at a gay nightclub that left 49 dead   he  tweeted  "Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism." In the wake of a deadly terror attack in London in June   he  went after the city's mayor on Twitter  suggesting  he  wasn't taking the attacks seriously enough.
[TGT]stuck to a somber script Monday after at least 59 people were shot dead in Las Vegas  condemning the largest mass shooting in modern U.S. history as an "act of pure evil" and declaring the nation would unite behind the survivors.  [TGT]  refused to get into a new debate over gun control.
Faced with the sad and familiar ritual of a president offering consolation after horrific violence  [TGT] spoke slowly and carefully from the White House Diplomatic Room  focusing not on the identity or possible motive of the shooter but on the nation's efforts to heal.
[TGT] spoke hours after a gunman on the 32nd floor of a Vegas Strip casino opened fire on people at an outdoor country music festival below. The gunman  64-year-old Stephen Craig Paddock  killed at least 59 people as tens of thousands of concertgoers screamed and ran for their lives. More than 500 people were hurt.
In a measured statement that was revised by aides until moments before [TGT] spoke  [TGT] did not describe the gunman in any way or suggest what might have been behind [TGT] actions. [TGT] praised the first responders who [TGT] said prevented further loss of life and said [TGT] would visit Las Vegas on Wednesday. [TGT] offered condolences to the families of those killed  saying  "We cannot fathom their pain. We cannot imagine their loss.[TGT]told associates that  [TGT]  feels deep ties to the city.  [TGT]  said in public that  [TGT]  visit would be "a very  very sad moment for  me  ... for everybody no matter where you are  no matter what your thought process."
 The president  was informed of the shooting early Monday by chief of staff John Kelly  according to White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. He received periodic briefings from Kelly and homeland security adviser Tom Bossert while also monitoring the coverage on cable news. On Twitter  he avoided the kind of inflammatory statements he has issued after some previous tragedies  such as last year's Orlando nightclub shooting  instead offering "warmest condolences" to victims and their families.
Like presidents before him   [TGT]marked the events by ordering the American flags at all public buildings across the nation flown at half-staff  and  he  observed a moment of silence on the White House lawn. Unlike  his  predecessor  Barack Obama  who responded to mass shootings by calling for stricter gun control measures   [TGT]made no mention of firearms restrictions.
Before he was a candidate   Trump at one point  favored some gun restrictions. He has more recently cast himself as an ardent protector of the Second Amendment. Though Sanders did not dismiss a question about the potential for a bipartisan effort on guns  raising the possibility that  [TGT]might be willing to cross the aisle and work with Democratic leaders  the president has proclaimed that if more "good guys" were armed with firearms  there would be fewer gun tragedies.
 Trump 's trip to Las Vegas will come a day after  he  visits hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico  where many have accused the federal government of an inadequate response. Vice President Mike Pence is still scheduled to attend a tax legislation event and fundraiser in Phoenix on Tuesday.
The president also offered a somber response in June  after a shooting at a congressional baseball practice that wounded five  including Republican Rep. Steve Scalise. But  [TGT]has drawn criticism for more inflammatory and self-referential reactions to other acts of violence.
After the Orlando shootings at a gay nightclub that left 49 dead   he  tweeted  "Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism." In the wake of a deadly terror attack in London in June   he  went after the city's mayor on Twitter  suggesting  he  wasn't taking the attacks seriously enough.