Jimmy Kimmel breaks down in emotional monologue about Las Vegas shooting: 'We now have children without parents'

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Jimmy Kimmel has broken down in a tearful monologue about the Las Vegas shooting which claimed the lives of at least 59 people and wounded another 527.

The talk show host’s voice quiverred as he sought to come to terms with the fact his hometown had been hit with the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history.

Kimmel, who was born in New York but moved to Vegas when he was just nine years old, drew attention to the fact children had been left with no parents and parents with no children.

"Here we are again in the aftermath of another terrible, inexplicable, shocking and painful tragedy,” he said embarking on a ten-minute monologue.

"It's the kind of thing that makes you want to throw up or give up. It’s too much to even process.

“All these devastated families that have to live with this pain forever because one person with a violent and insane voice in his head managed to stockpile a collection of high-powered rifles and use them to shoot people."

Kimmel added: “As a result of that this morning, we have children that are without parents and fathers that are without sons, mothers without daughters.”

The comedian took aim at Republican leaders such as Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan, and others for their response to the hail of bullets which rained down on an outdoor music festival near the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino on the Nevada city’s famous gaming strip on Sunday.

Kimmel argued the politicians would fail to pass gun-control measures because the National Rifle Association, the country’s major gun-rights lobbying organisation, has "their balls in a money clip."

He said: “They sent their thoughts and their prayers today. Which is good. They should be praying for God to forgive them for letting the gun lobby run this country."

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President Donald Trump, who received millions of dollars for his 2016 presidential campaign from the National Rifle Association, made no mention of gun control when he addressed the nation in a televised speech after the shooting.

Kimmel also used the segment to broadcast images of over 50 senators who chose to vote against closing loopholes on background checks in the wake of the Orlando Pulse nightclub massacre which killed 49 and injured 53. "With all due respect, your thoughts and your prayers are insufficient," he added.

Kimmel drew attention to a number of recent federal gun-control bills that have failed, arguing the issue simply drops off the political agenda.

"When someone with a beard attacks us, we tap phones, we invoke travel bans, we build walls, we take every possible precaution to make sure it doesn't happen again," Kimmel said. "But when an American buys a gun and kills other Americans, then there's nothing we can do about that.”

He highlighted the dearth of action on the part of governments and their long-standing failure to address the toxic issue of gun control.

“And you know what will happen, we’ll pray for Las Vegas. Some of us will get motivated, some of us won’t get motivated. The bills will be written, they’ll be watered down, they’ll fail. The NRA will smother it all with money and over time we’ll get distracted, we’ll move on to the next thing. And then it will happen again. And again.”

Stephen Paddock, a so-called lone wolf, opened fire from a hotel room while armed with at least 23 weapons and two tripods.

The assailant, a divorced accountant who lived in Mesquite, is believed to have shot and killed himself on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino before the police stormed his room.

Paddock’s brother, Eric Paddock, said the family was shocked by the news. “We’re still just completely befuddled. Dumbstruck,” Mr Paddock said outside his home in Orlando, Florida. He described his brother as “a wealthy guy. He liked to play video poker. He went on cruises”.

Chaotic war zone style scenes descended on Las Vegas. Two festival-goers said they initially heard a noise "like firecrackers" but it became clear a shooter, who discharged hundreds of bullets using an automatic weapon, was unloading "clip after clip" into the crowd. Others reported seeing muzzle flashes from the upper floors of the hotel across Las Vegas Boulevard towards the Route 91 Harvest country music festival.