President Donald Trump, a frequent visitor to his golf clubs, was at the White House when a gunman walked into the lobby of Trump National Doral Miami resort early Friday and began firing a gun.
“The U.S. Secret Service is aware of a shooting that took place early this morning at the Trump National Doral Golf Club in Doral, FL. Special Agents from the Miami Field Office are on the scene and working closely with our law enforcement partners," the Secret Service said in a statement. "No Secret Service protectees or security operations were impacted as a result of the shooting. As a matter of policy the Secret Service does not comment on Protective Intelligence investigations.”
The unidentified gunman was shot several times in the lower body by Doral police. He is hospitalized.
The White House and the Trump Organization did not respond to requests for comment Friday.
Trump did not address the shooting in Florida but did give brief remarks about a shooting at a high school in Santa Fe, Texas that left at least 10 people dead.
"To the students, families, teachers and personnel at Santa Fe, we're with you in this tragic hour and we will be with you forever," he said at the White House before an event about prison reform. "My administration is determined to do everything in our power to protect our students, secure our schools and keep weapons out of the hands of those who pose a threat to themselves and to others. Everyone must work together at every level of government to keep our children safe."
Trump's son tweeted about the Florida shooting, praising local law enforcement.
Since his inauguration, Trump has spent nearly 150 days visiting one of his properties, sometimes more than once a day, according to a compilation of information released by the White House.
But his most frequent trips have been to Mar-a-Lago and the Trump International Golf Club in Palm Beach or Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J. The president is not expected to take another trip to a Florida property this summer.
He is reportedly scheduled to visit Camp David, the presidential retreat in the wooded hills about 60 miles northwest of the nation’s capital, this weekend.
The shooting is likely reignite the gun debate in Washington in a more personal way for Trump.
Lawmakers and gun rights advocates have criticized the Trump administration and congressional Republicans over the lack of legislation and regulations on firearms..
On Twitter, some are asking whether the shooting at one of this own properties will push Trump to take more action. Trump has promised repeatedly to address gun violence, particularly in schools. Trump has several times endorsed increasing the minimum age for buying rifles or perhaps other guns from 18 to 21, but has also called for arming schoolteachers.
More than new gun regulations, Trump has focused on mental health issues, calling on states to pass measures allowing police to remove weapons or prevent gun sales for those who pose a threat. And Trump also asked Congress to pass bills to increase the amount of records sent to the flawed National Instant Criminal Background Check System and to provide money to improve school security.
Most proposals have never materialized.
Anita Kumar: 202-383-6017, @anitakumar01
Franco Ordoñez: 202-383-6155, @francoordonez
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