[W]ASHINGTON — In the wake of the deadliest mass shooting in the country’s history, Vermont officials joined the nation in mourning.
A single gunman reportedly killed at least 58 people and injured more than 500 in an attack on a music festival in Las Vegas Sunday night.
The news from Nevada hung over the Capitol as lawmakers returned from the weekend. Flags flew over the Capitol at half-staff. The Senate observed a moment of silence before beginning proceedings Monday afternoon.
In remarks Monday morning, President Donald Trump called the shooting an “act of pure evil.”
The White House did not make any mention of changes to the nation’s gun laws, but many, particularly on the political left, called for Congress to take action on gun control. The three members of Vermont’s delegation all joined the call.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said in a statement that his thoughts were with the families and friends of the victims of the attack.
“In light of the terrible tragedy in Las Vegas and mass shootings across the country, it should be clear to all that we have got to do everything we can to stop guns from falling into the hands of people who should not have them,” Sanders said.
“It is long past time for Congress to take action on gun safety to save innocent lives,” he said.
Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., reacting to the shooting, also urged reforms to the nation’s gun laws.
“It’s hard for any of us to imagine the sheer terror experienced by concertgoers running for their lives, unsure of the depraved shooter’s location. It’s hard to imagine the inconsolable grief being experienced by the families of the victims. And it’s hard to fathom the inaction of Congress in the face of so many mass shootings in this country,” Welch said.
“What will it take to pass common sense gun laws that take guns out of the hands of people who should not have them?” Welch said.
Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., in a statement, said that though facts are still coming out about the shooting, it is “painfully clear that yesterday will go down as one of the darkest days in our nation’s history.”
He urged support for policies to make it more difficult for people with criminal background or mental illness to access firearms, such as stronger background checks and more measures to prevent gun trafficking.
“Congress must not become so numb to tragedy after tragedy that it fails to sensibly act on the proliferation of gun violence,” Leahy said.
Leahy introduced a bill to crack down on straw purchases and trafficking of firearms in May — a measure he has introduced in past years. Though it passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2013, it has never passed the Senate floor.
Gov. Phil Scott, in a statement, said the shooting in Las Vegas was “a senseless, horrific tragedy.”
Scott did not mention gun control laws.
“As we mourn, and as we move forward, let’s unite together around the memory of those who were murdered, in support of those who were injured, and in solidarity with the people who love them,” he said.
More details about the shooting and victims emerged through the day. One shooting victim is from Dorset and attended the College of St. Joseph in Rutland.
Municipal Vermont leaders also reacted to the shooting.
Burlington Police Chief Brandon del Pozo said he and his top deputies regularly discuss the possibility of a mass shooting, and how they would respond.
He said he fears that Burlington’s national profile as a liberal bastion could potentially make it a target for political violence. At the same time, he doesn’t want police preparedness to impact the city’s welcoming character, or his officers’ relationships in the community.
“It’s such a balancing act. We talk about it all the time,” del Pozo said, “It weighs on us really heavily.”
Editor’s note: Reporter Morgan True contributed to this report.
