The right-wing commentariat is using Monday’s deadly mass shooting in Manhattan, in which a gunman shot and killed four people, to discredit the candidacy of mayoral front-runner Zohran Mamdani.
The attacks ran the gamut, from mischaracterizations of the Democratic nominee’s agenda to plain bigotry. Curiously, many attempts to use Monday’s tragedy against Mamdani also treat the Democratic nominee as if he were the current mayor and as if the violence did not occur under public safety policies already in place.
Several prominent conservatives have attempted to scapegoat Mamdani in light of a “defund the police” stance he does not espouse. Anti-trans activist Riley Gaines posted on X: “Do you not realize how terrifying it is this is happening in a city where the mayoral candidate wants to defund the police?” Pro-Trump podcaster Benny Johnson wrote: “REMINDER: Communist Zohran Mamdani wants to defund the police. No cops rushing in—just social workers trying to reason with gunmen.”
These attempts to pin the shooting on Mamdani misrepresent the candidate’s agenda and public comments on public safety. Johnson, for instance, pointed to Mamdani’s (now much-screenshotted) 2020 tweet in support of defunding the police, whereas Mamdani stated clearly during the Democratic primary, “I will not defund the police” and says he supports maintaining the current size of the police force.
Mamdani proposes creating a Department of Community Safety, separate from the New York Police Department, which he says will reduce strain on police officers and free up NYPD “resources to increase clearance rates for major crimes.”
As news of the shooting broke, Fox News columnist David Marcus also leveled a criticism that misses the mark, considering Mamdani is not the current occupant of Gracie Mansion. Marcus took to X to write, “Can somebody in Uganda please wake Zohran up? A cop is dead.” (Mamdani, who was born in Uganda, announced last week—in a video humorously preempting right-wing smears—that he would be traveling to the country in a personal capacity and plans to return this week.)
Others resorted to bigoted comments about Mamdani’s background. For instance, Laura Loomer, the MAGA social media personality (who wields considerable influence over the administration of President Donald Trump), baselessly asserted Monday that the gunman was a Mamdani supporter, writing, “[Mamdani] is inspiring a generation of pro-Islamic cop killers. This is why you don’t elect Muslim immigrants to office.”
Mamdani, for his part, posted a statement promptly Monday evening, thanking first responders and writing, “I’m heartbroken to learn of the horrific shooting in midtown and I am holding the victims, their families, and the NYPD officer in critical condition in my thoughts.”
On Tuesday morning, Mamdani posted a heartfelt message mourning the loss of the NYPD Officer Didarul Islam.