Obama on Conn. shooting: 'Our hearts are broken today'
| Washington
President Obama wiped away tears Friday as he expressed the nation鈥檚 horror and heartbreak over a massacre at an elementary school earlier in the day in Newtown, Conn.
鈥淲e鈥檝e endured too many of these tragedies in the past few years,鈥� Mr. Obama said from the White House briefing room. 鈥淎nd each time I learn the news, I react not as a president, but as anybody else would 鈥� as a parent. And that was especially true today. I know there鈥檚 not a parent in America who doesn鈥檛 feel the same overwhelming grief that I do.聽鈥�
Obama, the father of two school-age daughters, spoke hours after a gunman rampaged through Sandy Hook Elementary School, killing 20 children and six adults. Among the reported dead was the suspect鈥檚 mother, a teacher at the school. The suspected gunman, identified in news reports as 20-year-old Adam Lanza, also died. It was the second-worst school shooting in US history.
The president also called for 鈥渕eaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics,鈥� though he did not offer specifics. At the end of his remarks, a somber press corps remained silent as he left the briefing room.
Earlier in the day, at his regular briefing, White House spokesman Jay Carney was asked whether it's time for a discussion about gun-control policy. 鈥淚 think that day will come, but today鈥檚 not that day, especially as we are awaiting more information about the situation,鈥� he said.
Foremost, it was a day of shock and grief and questions. During his remarks, Obama took several long pauses to collect himself, speaking mostly about the victims.
鈥淭he majority of those who died today were children 鈥� beautiful little kids between the ages of 5 and 10 years old,鈥� the president said. 鈥淭hey had their entire lives ahead of them 鈥� birthdays, graduations, weddings, kids of their own. Among the fallen were also teachers 鈥� men and women who devoted their lives to helping our children fulfill their dreams."
He continued, 鈥淪o our hearts are broken today 鈥� for the parents and grandparents, sisters and brothers of these little children and for the families of the adults who were lost. Our hearts are broken for the parents of the survivors as well, for as blessed as they are to have their children home tonight, they know that their children鈥檚 innocence has been torn away from them too early, and there are no words that will ease their pain.鈥�
The president also went through a list of recent shootings around the country, not even reaching some of the most infamous 鈥� such as Virginia Tech, Columbine, and Tucson.
鈥淎s a country, we have been through this too many times,鈥� Obama said. 鈥淲hether it鈥檚 an elementary school in Newtown, or a shopping mall in Oregon, or a temple in Wisconsin, or a movie theater in Aurora, or a street corner in Chicago 鈥� these neighborhoods are our neighborhoods, and these children are our children.鈥�
The president said he had spoken with Connecticut鈥檚 governor, Dannel Malloy (D), and with FBI Director Robert Mueller. He said he made clear to Governor Malloy that he will have every resource he needs to investigate the crime, care for the victims, and counsel their families. Before Obama鈥檚 briefing room appearance, the White House issued a proclamation honoring the victims and ordering that flags on public buildings be flown at half-staff.
