MSNBC's Chris Hayes is facing withering criticism after declaring on Twitter that "we're ... very very lucky that the attackers tried to use explosives rather than guns" in terror attacks in New York and New Jersey.

We're also very very lucky that the attackers tried to use explosives rather than guns. — Christopher Hayes (@chrislhayes) September 19, 2016

Hayes's Monday tweet prompted an immediate response from The Huffington Post's Sam Stein, a regular MSNBC guest, who added fuel to the fire by agreeing with Hayes and extending the argument to a terror attack in Minnesota. Nine people were stabbed in a St. Cloud mall on Saturday before 22-year-old Dahir A. Adan was shot and killed by an off-duty police officer. A media outlet affiliated with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria said Adan was a "soldier of the Islamic State," according to several news outlets.

@chrislhayes and knives rather than a gun in Minnesota — Sam Stein (@samsteinhp) September 19, 2016

Actor Nick Searcy retorted that Adan could have continued his stabbing rampage if not for the armed off-duty officer.

Hey, by the way, how did that guy with the knife in MN get stopped? OMG IT WAS A GUN THAT STOPPED HIS KNIFE!!!! @samsteinhp @chrislhayes — Yes, Nick $earcy! (@yesnicksearcy) September 19, 2016

More than two dozen people were injured in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood when a pressure cooker bomb went off in a dumpster on Saturday night. Another bomb that did not detonate was found just blocks away.

Earlier in the day on Saturday, a pipe bomb exploded in Seaside Park, N.J., where a Marine Corps charity race was being held. No one was injured in that blast.

More explosive devices were found in Elizabeth, N.J., late Sunday. One of those devices was detonated by a police robot early Monday.

The suspect in the bombings, Ahmad Khan Rahami, has since been captured after a shootout with police.

Hayes — the host of "All In with Chris Hayes" airing on MSNBC at 8:00 p.m. — is no stranger to controversy, having once said he felt "uncomfortable" about calling American military personnel "heroes" because the word "rhetorically proximate to justifications for more war."