Trump criticized after apparently tweeting condolences for wrong mass shooting

Credit: Mark Wilson

Credit: Mark Wilson

President Donald Trump faced criticism after he appeared to have copied a tweet shared after a mass shooting earlier this month at a Texas church in the wake of an attack Tuesday that left five people dead and 10 injured in Northern California.

>> Read more trending news

"May God be with the people of Sutherland Springs, Texas," Trump tweeted Tuesday evening, according to Newsweek. "The FBI and Law Enforcement has arrived."

The tweet came nearly 10 days after authorities said Devin Patrick Kelley, 26, opened fire on people gathered for Sunday service at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, killing 26 people and wounding 20 others.

It came on the same day that a man killed five people and injured 10 others in attacks in Tehama County, California.

After the attack in Texas, Trump tweeted a nearly identical message to the one shared Tuesday, writing, “May God be w/ the people of Sutherland Springs, Texas. The FBI & law enforcement are on the scene. I am monitoring the situation from Japan.”

Twitter users accused Trump of copying and pasting his condolences and forgetting to change the location of the attack.

Trump’s tweet was subsequently deleted.

Authorities said officers shot and killed Kevin Janson Neal, 43, Tuesday after he fired shots in at least seven locations in Tehama County, including an elementary school. Five people were killed in the attack, including two of Neal’s neighbors and his wife.

About the Author