President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump visited Las Vegas on Wednesday after a deadly shooting killed 59 people at a country music concert and wounded hundreds more.
The Trumps traveled by motorcade to the University Medical Center to visit with victims of the shooting, their families, and medical professionals helping them recover.
“We met patients that were absolutely terribly wounded and the doctors, the nurses, all of the people of the hospital have done a job that’s indescribable,” Trump said.
Trump spoke with reporters after visiting the hospital, praising the medical staff who moved quickly to respond to the shooting victims.
He recalled stories he had heard of victims who were shot multiple times during the shooting while trying to help others, and that some of the wounded refused to leave in ambulances, to save room for people who were more seriously injured.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk with surgeon Dr. John Fildes at the University Medical Center after meeting with survivors of the mass shooting Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Dr. John Fildes, a surgeon at the hospital said that employees executed a “disaster plan” that they had put into place in Las Vegas, that was rolled out “flawlessly.”
“We couldn’t be more proud of the community response. Every hospital took serious patients. Everybody took care of them well,” he said.
“I have to tell you, it makes you very proud to be an American when you see the job that they’ve done,” Trump said, congratulating the doctors and nurses at the hospital.
He told reporters that he invited some of the shooting victims to visit the White House once they were healed.
“I said, if you’re ever in Washington, come on over to the Oval Office,” Trump said.
Trump said that details of the shooter and his motivations would be released soon.
“I can tell you it’s a very sick man. He was a very demented person. We haven’t seen that yet,” Trump said. “But you will know very soon if we find something. We’re looking very, very hard.”
The Trumps traveled aboard Air Force One to Nevada with House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, as well as Nevada lawmakers Sen. Dean Heller and Rep. Mark Amodei from Washington, DC.
Air Force One carrying President Trump taxis on the runway past Mandalay Bay on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017, in Las Vegas.(AP Photo/John Locher)
They were greeted on the runway by Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman; Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval; and Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo, who saluted the president.
Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman, left, and Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo, center, greet President Donald Trump after he arrived at Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
The president and first lady’s visit to the hospital was closed to the press.
Later in the day, the president is expected to meet with first responders and law enforcement officials who responded to the horrific shooting; the president is expected to deliver remarks to the public.
