Failed Democrat vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine leapt to Twitter to decry the “senseless act of gun violence” minutes after the attack at Ohio State University was reported on Monday morning, only to be embarrassed hours later when it was revealed that the attacker used a car and a knife but no gun.
Just before 11 AM on November 28, Virginia Senator Tim Kaine attempted to turn the attack into a discussion on gun control by tweeting out a message reading, “Deeply saddened by the senseless act of gun violence at Ohio State this morning. Praying for the injured and the entire Buckeye community.”
But it was soon learned that the attacker was a Somali refugee named Abdul Razak Ali Artan who has a history of claiming that Americans oppress Muslims. Police also reported that Artan used an automobile to run into a people, then jumped out to use a butcher knife to kill them as they lay injured on the ground. No gun of any sort was used in the attack.
Twitter users quickly took Kaine to task for politicizing the attack before he had any facts at hand. Some accused the Senator of trying to use a crime to push his anti-gun agenda, while others pointed out that during the campaign Kaine and Hillary both said Trump was unfit because he often spoke without knowing the facts.
About two hours later, Kaine tweeted a second message reading, “Updated reports say attacker used a vehicle & knife. Horrifying & senseless. Relieved the scene is secure & praying for victims’ recovery.”
For his part, winning VP candidate Mike Pence tweeted out a message more appropriately reading, “Our thoughts and prayers are with those recovering at Ohio State. Fast action by law enforcement saved many innocent lives today.”
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com.