WOODLAWN — The morning after Dwyane Wade’s cousin was shot in Woodlawn, Donald Trump has pulled her death into the contentious presidential campaign.
Trump took to Twitter early Saturday to use the death of Wade’s cousin, Nykea Aldridge, as call for black voters to support him.
“Dwayne Wade's cousin was just shot and killed walking her baby in Chicago. Just what I have been saying. African-Americans will VOTE TRUMP!” Trump said on Twitter.
Dwayne Wade's cousin was just shot and killed walking her baby in Chicago. Just what I have been saying. African-Americans will VOTE TRUMP!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2016
Trump deleted the tweet, which misspelled Wade's name, and sent out a new version later in the morning:
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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2016
Only hours after his initial tweet did he send condolences to Aldridge's family:
My condolences to Dwyane Wade and his family, on the loss of Nykea Aldridge. They are in my thoughts and prayers.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2016
Aldridge was shot and killed in Woodlawn Friday afternoon.
RELATED: Dwyane Wade's Cousin, Nykea Aldridge, Killed Pushing Stroller in Woodlawn
Wade took to Twitter as well to call the act “senseless” a day after he was in the neighborhood denouncing the city’s violence on a televised forum for ESPN.
My cousin was killed today in Chicago. Another act of senseless gun violence. 4 kids lost their mom for NO REASON. Unreal. #EnoughIsEnough
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) August 27, 2016
As of Saturday morning, Wade had not responded to Trump’s comments.
Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, has repeatedly criticized Chicago and called attention to its gun violence on the national stage — often while sharing incorrect information.
He's said Chicago has seen 5,000 murders since President Barack Obama took office, but that's wrong. He's said again and again that Chicago has the strictest gun laws in the United States, but experts say that's not true. Earlier this week, he said if Chicago Police officers were "tougher" they could end violence in a week.
Activists have said Trump doesn't actually care about Chicago or the victims of gun violence and is just trying to "exploit and manipulate the suffering in the city." Gold Star families from Chicago also criticized the candidate this month, saying he didn't empathize with families who have lost loved ones in combat.
"Where is the decency? Where is the empathy?" they asked.
Also this month, a Chicago-area business owner who supports presidential candidate Hillary Clinton criticized Trump after his campaign used video of the business in an ad. In the spring, a rally for Trump was canceled amid large protests.
Trump's running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, has also been critical of Chicago.
