Categories: Front PageU.S. News

Sandy Hook shooting: Barack Obama speaking at inter-faith vigil in Newtown

Speaking at an inter-faith vigil in Newtown, President Barack Obama has said the US must do more to protect its children in the wake of Friday’s shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Connecticut.

Barack Obama said he would use the powers of his office to prevent a repeat of the tragedy.

He told residents that the nation shared their grief.

Twenty children and six women died in the assault on Sandy Hook school by a lone man who then took his own life.

The first funerals for victims will be held on Monday.

The gunman has been identified by police as Adam Lanza, 20.

He shot dead his mother before driving to the school in her car.

Officials say he was armed with hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and used a semi-automatic rifle as his main weapon. He was also carrying two handguns, and a shotgun was recovered from a car.

“I come to offer the love and prayers of a nation,” Barack Obama said, speaking after religious leaders and the state governor.

“You are not alone in your grief. All across this land of ours we have wept with you.”

Barack Obama repeated a call for action against gun crime, saying that in coming weeks he would use “whatever powers” his office held “in an effort aimed at preventing more tragedies like this”.

“We can’t tolerate this anymore,” he said.

“These tragedies must end and to end them we must change.”

The complex causes of gun crime “can’t be an excuse for inaction”, he said.

Speaking at an inter-faith vigil in Newtown, President Barack Obama has said the US must do more to protect its children in the wake of Friday’s shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School

Barack Obama was also meeting victims’ families and emergency service workers.

All 20 children who died in the shootings – eight boys and 12 girls – were aged between six and seven, according to an official list of the dead. The school’s head teacher, Dawn Hochsprung, was among those killed.

All victims were shot several times, some of them at close range.

Police say the process of releasing the victims’ bodies to their families is under way.

Barack Obama made an appeal for “meaningful action” against gun crime in the US shortly after the attack on Friday.

Sunday saw two senior US Democrats call for stricter gun control.

Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy said his state had an existing ban on assault weapons, but the lack of a similar law at federal level made it difficult to keep them out of the state.

“These are assault weapons. You don’t hunt deer with these things,” he told CNN.

“One can only hope that we’ll find a way to limit these weapons that really only have one purpose.”

Governor Dannel Malloy had to break the news to most of the victim’s families on Friday.

“You can never be prepared for that – to tell 18 to 20 families that their loved one would not be returning to them that day or in the future,” he said.

Senator Dianne Feinstein, who represents California in the upper house of Congress and is a long-term supporter of stricter gun control, told US TV network NBC: “I’m going to introduce in the Senate, and the same bill will be introduced in the House [of Representatives], a bill to ban assault weapons.”

Asked if President Barack Obama would support her measure, she said: “I believe he will.”

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, another strong gun control advocate, has urged President Barack Obama to act.

“We have heard all the rhetoric before,” he said.

“What we have not seen is leadership – not from the White House and not from Congress. That must end today.”

A nationwide ban on certain semi-automatic rifles in the US expired in 2004.

M1gSsm5xlKQ
Diane A. Wade

Diane is a perfectionist. She enjoys searching the internet for the hottest events from around the world and writing an article about it. The details matter to her, so she makes sure the information is easy to read and understand. She likes traveling and history, especially ancient history. Being a very sociable person she has a blast having barbeque with family and friends.

Recent Posts

Donald Trump and Elon Musk Celebrate Election Victory at UFC 309

Image source: Wikimedia Commons President-elect Donald Trump celebrated his election victory at the Ultimate Fighting…

5 days ago

White House 2024: Donald Trump Wins, Kamala Harris Calls Him to Concede Election

Millions of voters across the US chose to return Donald Trump to the White House…

2 weeks ago

Who Won? Donald Trump Declares Victory as He Addresses Jubilant Supporters in Florida

Donald Trump declares victory in the US election as he addresses jubilant supporters in Florida.…

2 weeks ago

Stocks Soaring as Donald Trump Closes in on US Victory

Stocks around the world are rising as Donald Trump appears to be on the cusp…

2 weeks ago

Who Won? Kamala Harris Cancels Election Night Party as Path to Victory Narrows

Donald Trump has won Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia and taken a lead over Kamala…

2 weeks ago

Quincy Jones Dead at 91

Quincy Jones, the celebrated musician and producer who worked with Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Ray…

2 weeks ago