Obama, Scalise, world leaders decry Las Vegas attack

Oct. 2 (UPI) -- World leaders and former statesmen, including former U.S. President Barack Obama, decried the mass shooting in Las Vegas on Monday.

Obama, who led the nation through multiple such attacks, including the one at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, mourned "another senseless tragedy."

"Michelle & I are praying for the victims in Las Vegas," he tweeted. "Our thoughts are with their families & everyone enduring another senseless tragedy."

More than 50 people were shot dead late Sunday at a country music festival at the south end of the Las Vegas Strip. Authorities said the gunman was perched on an upper floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino.

Other leaders called for greater gun control, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

"The crowd fled at the sound of gunshots. Imagine the deaths if the shooter had a silencer, which the NRA wants to make easier to get," she tweeted. "Our grief isn't enough. We can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA, and work together to try to stop this from happening again."

Michelle & I are praying for the victims in Las Vegas. Our thoughts are with their families & everyone enduring another senseless tragedy.

- Barack Obama (@BarackObama) October 2, 2017

"Tragedies like Las Vegas have happened too many times. We need to have the conversation about how to stop gun violence. We need it NOW," Sen. Elizabeth Warren tweeted.

Former Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, a victim of gun violence in 2011, said she was "heartbroken by the scene our nation is waking up to this morning."

"No person should endure the horror Las Vegas experienced last night."

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, who was also seriously injured in a shooting during a congressional baseball practice in June in Virginia, echoed similar sentiments.

"[My wife] and I are praying for the victims of this unspeakable violence in Las Vegas," he tweeted.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted his horror.

"Words fail this morning," he said. "The friendship and support of Canadians is with the victims in Las Vegas & the people of the U.S."

Said British Prime Minister Theresa May: "The U.K.'s thoughts are with the victims and the emergency services responding to the appalling attack in Las Vegas."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his heart goes out to the victims and wished them a "speedy recovery."

"On this terrible day, the people of Israel stand shoulder to shoulder with the American people in mourning and sorrow," he added.