Ilhan Omar: Deadly Capitol attack worse ‘if the assailant had an AR-15 instead of a knife’

Rep. Ilhan Omar used a deadly vehicular and knife attack at the U.S. Capitol on Friday to warn the public how much worse things would have been “if the assailant had an AR-15 instead.”

The Minnesota Democrat’s response to the killing of Capitol Police officer William Evans — who was rammed by the vehicle — left social media users perplexed.

Another officer was injured and the knife-wielding suspect was ultimately killed by responding police at the main security checkpoint.

“Heartbroken to learn another CP was killed while protecting the Capitol,” Ms. Omar tweeted afterward. “My thoughts and prayers go out to the officer’s family and the entire Capitol Police force. The death toll would have been worse if the assailant had an AR-15 instead of a knife.”

Readers overwhelmingly panned the Democrat’s attempt to shoehorn a gun-control message into a killing that didn’t involve firearms.

Some replies to her tweet include:

• “Such a disappointing response, Ms. Omar. It served no one on either side. You are better than this.”
• “Never let a tragedy go to waste apparently. Using any type of violence whatsoever to push gun control.”
• “The death toll would have been worse if the assailant had a tactical thermonuclear missile instead of a knife.”
• “Your thoughts aren’t with the officer. They’re obviously on your political agenda.”
• “Would have been way worse if he had flown a 747 into the gate.”

Mr. Evans was an 18-year veteran of the force.

“It is with a very, very heavy heart that I announce one of our officers has succumbed to his injuries,” Yogananda Pittman, acting chief of the U.S. Capitol Police, told reporters after the attack.

Heartbroken to learn another CP was killed while protecting the Capitol. My thoughts and prayers go out to the officer’s family and the entire Capitol Police force. The death toll would have been worse if the assailant had an AR-15 instead of a knife.

— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) April 2, 2021