As we discussed two weekends ago, Dwyane Wade’s cousin Nykea Aldridge was shot and killed in Chicago at the end of August. It was a devastating tragedy for Aldridge’s family, for the community of Chicago, and for anyone with a heart. Within hours of the news, Donald Trump decided to politicize the tragedy, tweeting: “Dwyane Wade’s cousin was just shot and killed walking her baby in Chicago. Just what I have been saying. African-Americans will VOTE TRUMP!” People were justifiably appalled. Wade didn’t say anything about Trump initially, mostly because he was grieving with his family, and he was helping his family arrange memorial services for Aldridge. After a week, Wade did speak though. It’s tragic because he’s a million times more diplomatic than Trump.

In his first comments since Donald Trump marked the shooting death of his cousin in Chicago with a tweet declaring it more evidence that African-Americans would vote for Trump, basketball star Dwyane Wade said the Republican nominee’s message left him feeling “kind of conflicted.”

“You know, it’s like, on one hand, your cousin’s death is used as a ploy for political gain,” Wade told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos in an interview airing Friday on “Good Morning America.” But, Wade acknowledged that the violence in his hometown of Chicago is a “national story,” adding, “I want eyes on this city.”

“I was grateful that it started a conversation but on the other hand, it just left a bad taste in my mouth because of what my family is dealing with and what our city of Chicago is dealing with and it looks like it’s being used as political gain,” Wade said.

Trump senior adviser Tana Goertz told CNN’s “New Day” that she was not aware if he had apologized to the Wade family after the Chicago Bulls player made those comments, but quickly added that Trump ” would be the first to say, absolutely, I’m sorry I did not mean that to come across that way.”

“But at the end of the day, we are talking about how safe — or how unsafe our country is and how we do need to stop these criminals and we do need to protect our country,” Goertz said. “Hillary Clinton is not talking about that. And Donald Trump is the only one that is saying we need to keep America safe again. So he by no means meant any harm by that. I can guarantee you that.”

[From Politico]

Again, look at what the Trump spokesperson said. Still trying to score political points off of a young woman’s death. Incidentally, the two gang members who were shooting at each other – Aldridge’s death was caused by their crossfire – have already been arrested and charged. So I really don’t understand the political point here. There’s violence in Chicago! Okay, well the men were arrested within a few days. Gun violence in the black community! Okay, well tell me your plan for restricting access to guns. A black woman is dead, so black people will vote for Donald Trump! WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU?

Photos courtesy of WENN.