White House Said It's Not The Time For Gun Debate After Vegas Shooting

After a deadly shooting in Las Vegas that left 58 dead and over 500 injured Sunday night, the White House said that now isn’t the time to debate gun control.

In a press conference Monday, White House Press Secretary said that it was “premature to discuss policy when we don't fully know all the facts.”

“There is a time and place for political debate,” Sanders said. “Now is the time to unite.”

The shooting is considered the deadliest mass shooting ever in the U.S., surpassing the last deadliest shooting which killed 49 people in an Orlando, Florida, nightclub last year. The alleged shooter, Stephen Craig Paddock, took aim at the Route 91 Harvest Festival from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel across the street.

Paddock killed himself before police stormed his room and found at least 10 guns. Police found more guns in Paddock’s Mesquite, Nevada, home. He had legally acquired some guns in California, but it is unclear whether they were used in the attack.

“Today is more, again, like I said, a day of reflection, a day of mourning, a day of gratefulness for those that were saved,” said Sanders. “I think that there will be certainly time for that policy discussion to take place, but that's not the place that we're in at this moment. Certainly, I think there's a time for that to happen.”

The violence has caused many to renew calls for stricter gun control. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton went after gun rights and gun lobbying organization, the National Rifle Association (NRA).

“Our grief isn't enough. We can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA, and work together to try to stop this from happening again,” said Clinton on Twitter.

The NRA has been silent on the issue.

Nelba Márquez-Greene, a mother who lost her six-year-old daughter in the 2012 Newtown, Connecticut, school shooting in which 26 people were killed blamed Congress for their inaction.

“Did you know u have congresspeople who rather than talk about gun legislation implied that we hadn’t prayed hard enough?” said Márquez-Greene on Twitter. “Their lack of courage and/or ability to take meaningful action on issues that most matter: healthcare, violence, climate, etc is outrageous.”

President Donald Trump called for unity and did not mention gun laws in his statement on the shooting.

“We call upon the bonds that unite us — our faith, our family, and our shared values. We call upon the bonds of citizenship, the ties of community, and the comfort of our common humanity.

“Our unity cannot be shattered by evil,” said Trump.