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Trump trolled for ‘death penalty’ tweet after Los Angeles shooting: ‘What if you’re responsible for 200K deaths?’

Condemning the incident, US President Donald Trump said, "Our thoughts are with the two @LASDHQ Sheriff Deputies who were shot in Los Angeles."

Two Los Angeles police officers were reportedly shot in an ambush on Saturday, September 12, 2020, at the Metro Blue Line station at Willowbrook Avenue and Compton Boulevard around 7 pm. A surveillance video shows a figure clad in dark clothing approaching their vehicle and firing shots at them. After the shocking attack, Los Angeles Sheriff Alex Villanueva condemned the act as "cowardly". "That was a cowardly act," Sheriff Alex Villanueva said. "The two deputies were doing their job, minding their own business, watching out for the safety of the people on the train. To see somebody just walk up and start shooting on them. It pisses me off. It dismays me at the same time. There's no pretty way to say it."

Shedding light on the condition of the officers who were "fighting for their lives" in the hospital, Villanueva said, "It looks like they're going to be able to recover," adding, "We'll see what the long-term impact is. We don't know that yet, but they survived the worst." As of now, the suspect is not known but the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has announced a $100,000 (£78,000) reward for any information leading to the gunman's arrest. 

Condemning the incident, US President Donald Trump said, "Our thoughts are with the two @LASDHQ Sheriff Deputies who were shot in Los Angeles. We send our love and support to their families and we pray to God for their recovery." Posting a video from his recent rally in Las Vegas, Nevada, he then tweeted: "If you murder a police officer, you should receive the death penalty!" 

His tweet soon garnered over 10,000 retweets and 39,000 likes, at the time of writing. Although his intention was noble, people on the Internet couldn't help but slam him for his own actions. Dragging him into the same old Covid-19 controversy and deaths, one Twitter user posted, "What about if you’re responsible for 200,000 deaths? What should the punishment for that be?"

Reiterating the same sentiment, several other tweets appeared within minutes. One said, "What penalty should YOU get for letting 200,000 innocent Americans die while you lied & covered it up ? & For you provoking all this Violence Against Police, & African Americans, & Latinos?!?! YOUR hateful Words & actions caused so much of this Violence & outrage!" Another tweeted, "Donald J Trump you have a one in a 100 million year chance nobody ever gets to do something worthwhile. You had a chance to do something noble to help to save lives to steer the country in a great direction. You had a chance to unite. You blew it. You blew it so big."

However, several Trump supporters also tweeted in favor of the president. Omar Navarro wrote: "What happened in Los Angeles is an example of what the left wants in California. Lawlessness and chaos. As Governor of California I will not pull funding from our men and women who protect us. #CaliforniaComeback." Another Twitter user posted, "Absolutely! Our police officers do a very dangerous job and put their lives on the line daily. Their only real defense is a consequence severe enough to be a REAL deterrent to harming them. Automatic death penalty."

Meanwhile, Joe Biden, said he was praying that the officers would recover soon. “Acts of lawlessness and violence directed against police officers are unacceptable, outrageous, and entirely counterproductive to the pursuit of greater peace and justice in America — as are the actions of those who cheer such attacks on,” Biden said in a statement Sunday afternoon. “Those who perpetrate these crimes must be brought to justice, and, if convicted, face the full brunt of the law.”

"This cold-blooded shooting is unconscionable and the perpetrator must be brought to justice. Violence of any kind is wrong; those who commit it should be caught and punished. Jill and I are keeping the deputies and their loved ones in our hearts and praying for a full recovery," his tweet read.