Beto Angrily Points To Trump’s Racism After Shooting: ‘You Know The Sh*t He’s Been Saying’

Democratic presidential hopeful and former US Representative for Texas' 16th congressional district Beto O'Rourke looks on before speaking to the crowd during a prayer and candle vigil organized by the city, after a... Democratic presidential hopeful and former US Representative for Texas' 16th congressional district Beto O'Rourke looks on before speaking to the crowd during a prayer and candle vigil organized by the city, after a shooting left 20 people dead at the Cielo Vista Mall WalMart in El Paso, Texas, on August 4, 2019. - The United States mourned Sunday for victims of two mass shootings that killed 29 people in less than 24 hours as debate raged over whether President Donald Trump's rhetoric was partly to blame for surging gun violence. The rampages turned innocent snippets of everyday life into nightmares of bloodshed: 20 people were shot dead while shopping at a crowded Walmart in El Paso, Texas on Saturday morning, and nine more outside a bar in a popular nightlife district in Dayton, Ohio just 13 hours later. (Photo by Mark RALSTON / AFP) (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) MORE LESS

August 5, 2019 7:41 a.m.

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Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) reacted angrily when a reporter asked if President Donald Trump could do anything to make the shootings better, firing back “what do you think?”

We know what Trump is doing. He stokes racism. He incites violence. We shouldn’t be asking if there’s anything he can do or if he’s responsible for this when we know the answer. I stand by what I said. https://t.co/zykowSpS6s

— Beto O’Rourke (@BetoORourke) August 5, 2019

Saturday’s shooting occurred in El Paso, O’Rourke’s old congressional district and hometown. He quickly left the campaign trail, skipping planned stops in Nevada and California to return home, per CNN.

The news broke just before he was to deliver a speech at a labor union event in Las Vegas. He was reportedly visibly shaken, and mentioned calling his wife to check in on her and his kids.

An audience member asked O’Rourke what he would do as President to prevent future massacres.

“Universal background checks, a stop to all sales of weapons of wars — some initial reports were that it was a military style weapon or weapons used in Cielo Vista Mall, keep that shit on the battlefield, do not bring it into our communities, I don’t want to see it in our malls or in our schools or in our churches or in our synagogues,” he said.

Per the latest counts, 20 people are dead after the El Paso massacre. Less than 24 hours later, another 9 people were gunned down in Dayton, Ohio.

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