"In America, we do not kill people in cold blood to resolve policy differences or express a viewpoint. I understand people have real frustration with our healthcare system, and I have worked to address that throughout my career.

"But I have no tolerance, nor should anyone, for one man using an illegal ghost gun to murder someone because he thinks his opinion matters most. In a civil society, we are all less safe when ideologues engage in vigilante justice.

“In some dark corners, this killer is being hailed as a hero. Hear me on this: he is no hero.”

Answering follow-up questions from reporters, Shapiro added: “Violence can never be used to address political differences, or to address a substantive difference, or to try and prove some ideological point. That is not what we do in a civilized society.

“That was true in Butler, it was true in new york city, and it’s true anywhere. that is not how you make progress in this country.”