British journalist Mark Stone cornered Cruz at the vigil and asked him whether it was time for gun reform laws in America. When asked why American exceptionalism is ‘so awful’, Cruz said: ‘You know, I’m sorry you think American exceptionalism is awful. You’ve got your political agenda. God love you.’

After repeatedly being told ‘You can’t answer that’ by Stone, Cruz turned and said: ‘Why is it that people come from all over the world to America? Because it’s the freest, most prosperous, safest country on Earth. Stop being a propagandist.’

‘You know, it’s easy to go to politics,’ Cruz told Sky News. ‘Inevitably, when some violent psychopath murders people, if you want to stop violent crime, the proposals the Democrats have — none of them would have stopped this.’

He added: ‘There are 19 sets of parents who are never going to get to kiss their child tonight.’