Nicholas Kristof stepped on a rake last night—and it wasn’t pretty. The New York Times columnist decided to go there on gun control when it was wholly unnecessary to do so. On Tuesday, 29-year-old Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov drove a rented Home Depot pickup truck through a bike path in lower Manhattan and plowed through bystanders and cyclists. Eight people are dead, close to dozen more injured and you’re going to give New York a pat on the back for having strict gun laws. This was possibly in response to Saipov exiting his truck holding fake guns. He was obviously trying to commit suicide by cop, but martyrdom was denied; the NYPD shot him but he’s alive (via CBS News):
Police and witnesses say a man deliberately drove a rented truck onto a busy bicycle path near the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan, killing eight people and injuring at least 12 others, then emerged from the vehicle screaming and brandishing imitation firearms before being shot by police. The suspect was wounded and taken into custody.
"This was an act of terror, and a particularly cowardly act of terror aimed at innocent civilians," Mayor Bill de Blasio said about the attack -- the deadliest act of terror in New York City since 9/11. He called it "a very painful day in our city."
"Today there was a loss of innocent life in lower Manhattan," NYPD commissioner James O'Neill said at a Tuesday press conference.
Law enforcement sources identified the suspect to CBS News as Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov, a 29-year-old truck driver who has lived in Tampa, Florida, and New Jersey. He came to the U.S. in 2010 from Uzbekistan.
The NYC terrorist had a pellet gun and a paintball gun. Good thing that in NYC he couldn't buy assault rifles, or the toll would be higher.
— Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) October 31, 2017
(1) Stop politicizing every tragedy, it makes you dumb.
— Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) November 1, 2017
(2) The terrorist was not from NYC; see point (1). https://t.co/jvsz0heCLe
If @NickKristof is suggesting that process of renting a car should be same as purchasing a gun, I’m all ears
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) October 31, 2017
I know, right? Maybe he'd have rented a van or something. https://t.co/coiaytVSjS
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) November 1, 2017
He didn't live in NYC. What a stupid point.
— Halloweeneon (@neontaster) November 1, 2017
NEW YORK (AP) -- Foreign ministers: 5 Argentines, 1 Belgian among 8 killed in truck attack on bike path near World Trade Center memorial.
— Morgan Palmer (@MorganKIRO7) November 1, 2017
In the aftermath of the attack, Kristof tweeted, “The NYC terrorist had a pellet gun and a paintball gun. Good thing that in NYC he couldn't buy assault rifles, or the toll would be higher.” Dude, are you kidding me? First, yes—let’s breathe a sigh of relief that he didn’t use a gun. It’s not like he used a motor vehicle or anything (my Lord). Second, terrorists and criminals don’t follow the law (obviously), and Saipov wasn’t from New York, so what does strict gun laws have anything do with this incident? Did Kristof even read the Associated Press or any other news report prior to sending this tone-deaf tweet? If he didn’t, then it’s still inexcusable. This was a terrorist attack; it’s not the time to hold a study hall on gun control, man. Kristof got torched—and rightfully so. And the liberal media wonders why they’re not trusted. You think Kristof would've stopped commenting on gun policy after his misfire on the Las Vegas shooting.