Beto O'Rourke: "I am incredibly saddened. It is very hard to think about this. But I'll tell you, El Paso is the strongest place in the world. This community's going to come together. I'm going back there right now to be with my family, to be with my hometown." pic.twitter.com/qkm5JTe7FB

— The Hill (@thehill) August 4, 2019

▲ 欧洛克受访时情绪激动。

记者詹雅婷／综合报导

美国德州艾尔巴索(El Paso)3日卖场爆发大规模枪击案，目前已有多名民主党人士表态，抨击全美枪枝协会的拥枪政策。而家乡在艾尔巴索的民主党总统参选人欧洛克（Beto O`Rourke）听闻消息后情绪激动，不但落泪且声音变得有些颤抖，宣布缩短内华达州与加州的竞选行程，提早返家，「我要与我的家人、家乡在一起。」

CNN报导，在枪击案的消息传出后，欧洛克随即打电话给妻子爱咪（Amy），确认她与女儿莫莉（Molly）的状况，得知2人平安无事；同时，他也在推特发文提到，「这真的令人心碎，艾尔巴索的人民要注意安全，随著我们不断更新讯息的同时，也请听从紧急救援人员的指示。」

只不过，欧洛克在媒体镜头面前忍不住激动情绪，说话声音变得有些颤抖，眼眶含泪。

「我感到很哀痛，想到就觉得难受」，欧洛克坦言，「艾尔帕索是全世界最坚强的地方，这个地区将团结在一起，我将立刻赶回去陪在我家人身旁，陪伴我的家乡。」

El Paso is one of the strongest places in the world—and if there were ever a moment to be strong, it's this one. Strong for one another, for the families who have lost somebody, and for the first responders. Please go to https://t.co/ecw9y18OSP to support our community. pic.twitter.com/FFgLPbXNIY

— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) August 3, 2019

谈及若成为总统，将如何打击枪枝暴力？欧洛克表示，全民的直接行动与倡议都能在法律通过这一块帮上忙，无论是枪枝暴力或是现今社会讨论的许多问题，每个人都承担著责任。

事实上，这起枪击案也引起许多民主党总统参选人的关注。

前副总统拜登（Joe Biden）强调枪击案是种病态的现象，主张打击全美枪枝协会（NRA）与相关业者。纽泽西州参议员布克（Cory Booker）则支持枪枝改革，呼吁要在另个社区、下一位国人死亡之前做出改变。麻州参议员华伦（Elizabeth Warren）则警告，「我们必须现在就要动起来，来终结国内的枪枝暴力泛滥。」

Any illusion we had that progress is inevitable—or that the change we need is going to come of its own accord—is shattered in moments like this. It is on every single one of us to meet this moment with everything we've got as a country. We will make this right. pic.twitter.com/s0qVYlxyQp

— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) August 4, 2019