Republican Sen. John Kennedy has been slammed as “tone deaf” after he made a political dig at a reporter while speaking about a terrorist attack in his home state of Louisiana. The controversial quip came as he and other officials took questions about the Wednesday morning attack—which left at least 15 dead on New Orleans’ iconic Bourbon Street.

A Republican senator known for his antics in front of the cameras made some curious remarks during a press conference on Wednesday where officials updated the public on the investigation into a car attack in New Orleans that left 15 people dead.

The quip from Louisiana 's John Kennedy, 72, came hours after 14 were killed on the city's iconic Bourbon Street, by a 42-year-old Army veteran shot dead at the scene.