Arkansans offer thoughts, prayers in Nevada deaths

WASHINGTON -- In the wake of the Las Vegas mass shooting, public officials repeated a grim ritual Monday that has become all too familiar in recent years: issuing statements of sympathy on social media.

Members of the Arkansas congressional delegation turned to prayer and Twitter after learning of the bloodshed in Nevada's largest city.

"Sending thoughts & prayers to all involved w/ tragic events in #LasVegas. Thankful for heroic actions of law enforcement & first responders," U.S. Sen. John Boozman, a Republican from Rogers, tweeted early Monday morning.

U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton offered similar sentiments.

"Deeply saddened by the tragic and senseless shooting in Las Vegas. My thoughts and prayers are with all victims and their families," the Dardanelle Republican stated.

That message was repeated by U.S. Rep. French Hill.

"I am deeply saddened by the devastating attack on innocent lives in Las Vegas. Martha and I are praying for the families and victims of this senseless act of evil," the Republican from Little Rock said. "We are thankful for our courageous first responders, doctors, and hospital staff for their treatment of those wounded. We must continue to work together to stop this kind of terror."

U.S. Rep. Steve Womack paused to remember the victims and those who came to their aid.

"Tragic news in #LasVegas today. My prayers are with the victims, families, and first responders of this senseless act," the Republican from Rogers posted online.

U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman joined his colleagues in denouncing the killings.

"The mass murder in Las Vegas this morning was pure evil. My thoughts and prayers are with the families and victims of this despicable act," the Republican from Hot Springs tweeted.

U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford was also horrified.

"It was hard to read the news of #LasVegas this morning, I can't imagine the pain of victims' families. My thoughts are with you all," the Republican from Jonesboro wrote.

Asked whether there's anything the federal government can do to lessen the number of these mass shootings, lawmakers said more information will be needed before that question can be answered.

Meanwhile state lawmakers and officials expressed similar condolences, while also debating the merits of taking action in an attempt to prevent such tragedies.

In a statement released by his office, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said the loss of more than 50 lives in the shooting was "hard to fathom."

The statement pointed to the "necessity of effective security plans." Asked to clarify, Hutchinson said in a phone call with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that he was referring to a law he had signed earlier in the year.

The law, Act 859 of 2017, allowed colleges and universities to make athletic events off-limits to guns if they submit a security plan to the Arkansas State Police. Act 859 contained several revisions to a law passed just weeks prior, and also signed by the governor, which allowed concealed-carry permit holders to take firearms onto college campuses, into bars and churches and into many other public facilities, if they receive some additional training.

The follow-up law was passed after Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey, Arkansas Razorbacks head football coach Bret Bielema and other college athletics officials raised concerns.

Hutchinson, a Republican, said the shooting had not affected his views about the state's gun laws.

"I've always said that you cannot regulate guns and expect to achieve safety," he said.

State Rep. Charlie Collins, R-Fayetteville, the sponsor of the law allowing concealed carry on campuses, said he was "grasping at an answer that will make this horror go away."

Tighter gun laws, he said, were not that answer.

Arming more citizens with concealed weapons can deter some rampage killers seeking high body counts, Collins said. The shooter in Las Vegas fired down on the crowd from a high-rise building.

"I'm hopeful that some of these crazy killers will say to themselves, 'I'm not going to kill on Arkansas' campus this day,'" Collins said.

The Fayetteville Democrat who represents the University of Arkansas campus, state Rep. Greg Leding, said he and other Democrats were at an impasse fighting laws like the one Collins sponsored.

"I don't think there's a legislative solution until Arkansas lawmakers start listening to people," Leding said. "Not to act is to be complicit in the further slaughter."

Leding suggested mandating tougher background checks, which he said most Democratic and Republican voters support. He also implored gun owners to contact their lawmakers in support of changes.

Collins noted that if the shooter in Las Vegas used an automatic weapon, he was already violating federal law. In Arkansas, the Uniform Machine Gun Act prohibits the possession of a machine gun for "an offensive or aggressive purpose."

Back in Washington, lawmakers say it's premature to discuss policy changes when the facts are still coming in.

"The details of how he obtained these weapons will inform how future shootings should be prevented, but we'll need to wait on further investigations to learn that," Crawford said through a spokesman. "If he obtained these weapons illegally, then the federal agencies can do several things, including better enforcement of laws already on the books. In general, it's also imperative that we identify ways to improve the early identification, diagnosis, and treatment for those living with serious mental illnesses."

Womack also wants to know more.

"With details still developing about the massacre in Las Vegas and the shooter himself, it is too early to make comments about what the federal government can or cannot do to decrease these types of tragic events," he said through a spokesman.

A spokesman for Boozman, Patrick Creamer, said the details are still coming out.

"We need to wait to get the facts before we can assess what steps Congress should take," Creamer said.

Questions about a possible federal response are premature, Westerman spokesman Ryan Saylor said.

"We don't know all the facts at this point," said Saylor. "We will wait until we have all the details before making any further comment."

Spokesmen for Cotton and Hill did not comment on possible federal responses.

Metro on 10/03/2017