Washington - US President Donald Trump was scheduled Wednesday
to visit the two cities that were the scene of mass shootings over
the weekend that left 31 people dead.
Trump confirmed in a tweet that he will travel to Dayton, Ohio and El
Paso, Texas, "to meet with First Responders, Law Enforcement, and
some of the victims of the terrible shootings."
Will be going to Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas, tomorrow to meet with First Responders, Law Enforcement, and some of the victims of the terrible shootings.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 6, 2019
Trump has been under fire for his response to the shootings in an
address to the nation on Monday. Instead of using the speech to push
for tougher gun control measures, he referred to mental health issues
and blamed video games and social media for gun violence.
Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley, a Democrat, said she would welcome Trump in
her official capacity as mayor, but added that she intends to tell
him "how unhelpful he's been" on addressing gun violence.
El Paso Mayor Dee Margo also said he would meet Trump "in an official
capacity" as part of his formal duty but said he would challenge any
"harmful and inaccurate statements made about El Paso."
The weekend shootings, the latest in a long string of mass shootings
in the US, have brought the president's crackdown on migration across
the US-Mexico border into focus.
The 21-year-old shooter in El Paso posted an anti-migrant, white
supremacist screed online before the shooting, which killed 22
people, including eight Mexicans. He was captured alive by police.
The motive of the 24-year-old Dayton shooter remains unclear. He was
killed by law enforcement officers at the scene.