Donald Trump blames social media and violent video games for radicalising ‘disturbed minds’ after El Paso and Dayton mass shootings
DONALD Trump blamed the internet, social media giants and video games for radicalising “disturbed minds” – after two mass shootings killed 31 people.
The US President gave a televised address to the nation following the attacks in El Paso, Texas, which killed 22, and Dayton, Ohio, which killed nine, on the weekend.
Trump condemned white supremacy after it emerged that racist gunman Patrick Crusius left a hate-filled manifesto before slaughtering shoppers in an El Paso Walmart store.
But instead of bringing in anti-gun legislation, the commander-in-chief blasted the internet and put the heat on web companies and social media.
He said: “In one voice, our nation must condemn racism, bigotry, and white supremacy. These sinister ideologies must be defeated. Hate has no place in America.
“Hatred warps the mind, ravages the heart and devours the soul.
“We must recognise that the internet has provided a dangerous avenue to radicalise disturbed minds and perform demented acts.
“We must shine light on the dark recesses of the Internet and stop mass murders before they start.
“The internet, likewise, is used for human trafficking, illegal drug distribution, and so many other heinous crimes.
“The perils of the internet and social media cannot be ignored and they will not be ignored.”
Mental illness and hatred pulls the trigger – not the gun
Donald Trump
Trump said he was directing the Department of Justice to work with social media companies to develop tools that can detect mass shooters before they strike.
He also called out computer games for glorifying violence.
The president added: “We must stop the glorification of violence in our society. This includes the gruesome and grisly video games that are now commonplace.
“It is too easy today for troubled youth to surround themselves with a culture that celebrates violence. We must stop or substantially reduce this, and it has to begin immediately.”
Trump said he wanted to reform mental health laws and gave no specifics on what – if anything – would change in the country’s gun laws.
He said: “Mental illness and hatred pulls the trigger – not the gun.”
On Twitter, Trump sparked fury by saying that laws for stronger background checks on potential gun buyers could be tied with immigration reform – but did not mention it in his speech.
He also gaffed by claiming one of the mass shootings was in Toledo, Ohio, which is 150 miles from Dayton.
‘AMERICA WEEPS FOR THE FALLEN’
The death toll from both shootings was raised from 29 to 31, after two patients died in hospital in El Paso.
Trump called the massacres “evil attacks” – calling Dayton killer Connor Betts a “twisted monster” and El Paso shooter Patrick Crusius a “wicked man”.
He added: “These barbaric slaughters are an assault upon our communities, an attack upon our nation, and a crime against all of humanity.
“We are outraged and sickened by this monstrous evil, the cruelty, the hatred, the malice, the bloodshed, and the terror.
“Our hearts are shattered for every family whose parents, children, husbands, and wives were ripped from their arms and their lives. America weeps for the fallen.”
Crusius, 21, had posted a racist ‘manifesto’ on forum 8chan just minutes before his attack.
American software developer Fredrick Brennan, who started 8chan in 2013, called for the site to be shut down.
He has now moved to the Philippines and cut ties with the website – after it supported white supremacy, included the New Zealand mosque massacre gunman, who killed 51 people.
Preventing catastrophe
MASSACRE gunman Connor Betts was shot dead by police as he prepared to enter a bar in search of more victims.
CCTV footage shows an officer opening fire on the 24-year-old psychology student in Dayton, Ohio, after he had killed nine people and wounded 14 more with an assault rifle.
Police chief Richard Biehl said yesterday: “Had this individual made it through the door with that amount of weapon there would have been a catastrophic loss of life.”
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Mr Brennan said: “Shut the site down. It’s not doing the world any good.
“It’s a complete negative to everybody except the users that are there.”
He was handed a boost when Cloudflare, which protects websites from coming under attack online, said it was ending its services for 8chan.
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