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[h=4]Mourning Charleston, Obama calls for stricter gun laws[/h]In his 14th speech following a mass shooting, Obama calls Charleston "particularly heartbreaking"
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President Obama spoke about the tragedy at a church in Charleston, S.C., saying he's made a speech like this too often. The president says he knew the pastor who was killed at the Emanuel AME church, where 9 people were killed while praying. VPC
President Obama, beside Vice President Biden, delivers remarks on the shooting deaths of nine people at a church in Charleston, S.C.(Photo: Michael Reynolds, European Pressphoto Agency)
WASHINGTON — President Obama renewed his call for stricter gun laws Thursday following a shooting spree at a Charleston, S.C. church that killed nine people.
"We don't have all the facts, but we do know that, once again, innocent people were killed in part because someone who wanted to inflict harm had no trouble getting their hands on a gun," Obama said.
Obama's remarks were not unlike the 13 others he's given following a mass shooting during his presidency. But this time, he said the usual condolences could not express "the heartache and the sadness and the anger we feel" about the overnight shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church Wednesday night.
"Any death of this sort is a tragedy. Any shooting involving multiple victims is a tragedy. There is something particularly heartbreaking about the death happening in a place in which we seek solace, and we seek peace, in a place of worship," Obama said.
The Charleston shooting hit home to Obama in part because Obama knew at least one of the victims, and because of the historic nature of the church, which Obama called "a sacred place in the history of Charleston, and the history of America."
"We knew their pastor, Rev. Clementa Pinckney, who along with eight others, gathered in prayer and fellowship and was murdered last night," he said.
As Obama spoke, Vice President Biden stood silently at his side. Biden later released a statement saying, "Hate has once again been let loose in an American community."
"We have no doubt the coward who committed this heinous act will be brought to justice," Biden said. "But as a nation we must confront the ravages of gun violence and the stain of hatred that continues to be visited on our streets, in our schools, in our houses of worship, and in our communities."
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It was at least the 14th statement Obama has made following shooting during his presidency, according to CBS Radio's Mark Knoller. "I've had to make statements like this too many times," Obama said. "Communities have had to endure tragedies like this too many times."
Obama repeated his call for Congress to take up gun safety legislation.
"Now is the time for mourning and for healing, but let's be clear," Obama said, before addressing the role of gun laws in mass shooting incidents. "It doesn't happen in other places with this kind of frequency, and it is in our power to do something about it. I say that recognizing the politics in this town foreclose a lot of those avenues right now, but it would be wrong for us not to acknowledge it."
Obama made the statement from the White House briefing room before departing on a trip to California to headline Democratic fundraisers and speak to the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
Earlier, Obama phoned leaders in South Carolina to express his condolences.
Just received a call from President Obama. He conveyed his condolences to Sen Pinckney's family, congregation, & the people of Charleston.
— Todd Rutherford (@RepRutherford) June 18, 2015
Charleston Mayor Joseph Riley said Obama called him to offer his support.
"I told the president that the FBI and the ATF and the other federal resources, the Justice Department, have been extraordinary," Riley said.
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