[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 157 (Monday, October 2, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6242-S6243]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                        Las Vegas Mass Shooting

  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, today we mourn the loss of at least 50 
lives in Las Vegas, the victims of senseless violence at an outdoor 
concert near the Mandalay Resort and Casino. The lives of fellow 
Americans were taken in a barbaric manner that defies all 
justification, excuse, or even explanation. That these events have 
become almost commonplace in modern society makes them no less shocking 
or morally reprehensible.
  The date and location--a country music festival on a Sunday 
afternoon--make the act seem doubly cruel. Thousands of innocent 
spectators were there from around the country enjoying themselves, with 
security being the furthest thing from their minds, until the shots 
rang out.
  As news reports have now indicated, the event is one of the deadliest 
mass shootings in modern U.S. history. It and other forms of violence 
continue to tear apart the fabric of our country, and the scars left 
among the victims' families and loved ones will be painful and 
permanent.
  My prayers go out to all those in Nevada who have not slept since 
yesterday and who are still grappling with the aftermath of the 
shooting, the families tending to loved ones in hospitals, as well as 
the first responders and law

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enforcement officers who ran toward, not away from, the gunfire and who 
are now nursing various wounds. Here in Washington, we will continue to 
monitor the situation. We will continue to keep the fallen in our 
prayers in the days ahead.