In a recent interview with CNN’s Dana Bash, Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, attributed the tragic shooting at Brown University to President Donald Trump’s policies. The incident, which unfolded on Saturday night, resulted in the deaths of two students and injuries to nine others on the Rhode Island campus. An unidentified male suspect was apprehended at the Hampton Inn in Coventry early Sunday morning, around 3 a.m., as investigations into the fatal shooting continue.

During their discussion, Bash pointed out that Rhode Island is known for its stringent gun laws. Murphy seized the opportunity to argue that stronger laws typically correlate with reduced gun violence and claimed that President Trump bears responsibility for the surge in violence across the United States. He stated, “Gun violence rates and mass shooting rates have come down in this country, but this is not shocking because over the last year President Trump has been engaged in a dizzying campaign to increase violence in this country.”

Murphy elaborated on his stance, accusing Trump of actions that potentially exacerbate violence. He highlighted Trump’s efforts to restore gun rights to felons, dismantle the White House office focused on gun violence protection, and halt funding for mental health and community anti-gun violence grants that had bipartisan support since 2002. Murphy remarked, “You’re unfortunately going to see the results of that on the streets of America.”

In response to Murphy’s comments, a White House spokesperson said he should really ‘take a look in the mirror.’ ‘Before spreading these lies, Chris Murphy should take a look in the mirror. Chris and his colleagues have regularly used rhetoric meant to incite their followers to violence, including smearing ICE officers as Nazis and calling their political opponents fascists,’ Abigail Jackson told the Daily Mail. ‘Assaults against ICE officers have skyrocketed and Charlie Kirk was tragically assassinated earlier this year, not to mention the other violent riots that leftists have engaged in. The Violent Left is a problem whether Chris admits it or not.’ 

Murphy has made gun control laws a main legislative priority following the devastating Sandy Hook school shooting in Connecticut that claimed the lives of 26 people on December 14, 2012 – 13 years ago today. Of the victims, 20 were children between the ages of six and seven-years-old. The fatal massacre occurred in Murphy’s district while he representing as a US Representative. On Sunday morning, Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar Perez confirmed the man taken into custody is in his 20s. He did specify if the man is connected to Ivy League and did not state he was a suspect. The shooter, who was armed with a handgun, fired more than 40 9mm rounds, law enforcement officials said. The gun had a ‘unique characteristic’ on it and was found when the man was taken into custody. Another firearm was in his possession, police said.

Two loaded 30-round magazines were also found, an official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told the Associated Press. The first 911 call reporting shots fired at Brown’s prestigious engineering building was made at 4.05pm on Saturday afternoon, in the midst of students’ end of semester exam season. Late on Saturday night, police released a short clip of a person of interest walking as he turns the corner on Waterman Street. The same man in the video – wearing a full black outfit – was detained amid a flurry of police activity around 3am at the hotel, CNN reports.

Smiley confirmed that there were nine people injured and two fatalities in the mass shooting, and that tips from the local community were crucial with making the arrest in the early hours of the morning. Smiley gave an update on the injured – confirming that seven are in stable condition, one is in critical but stable condition, and one has been discharged from hospital.