4:46
- ABC News
- November 6, 2017
Church shooting spurs calls for prayer, gun laws
Some elected officials called for gun control.
4:46
First lady Melania Trump tweeted, “Our hearts are with #Texas”
Our hearts are with #Texas
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) November 5, 2017
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who was governor of South Carolina when Dylann Roof killed nine African American people at their church in 2015, said a church is sacred and that she has \"no words.\"
“Praying for the families of Sutherland Springs. A church is the most sacred of places. No words,” she tweeted.
Former President Barack Obama, who had to respond to a mass shooting more than 14 times during his administration, expressed his condolences via Twitter.
\"We grieve with all the families in Sutherland Springs harmed by this act of hatred, and we’ll stand with the survivors as they recover. May God also grant all of us the wisdom to ask what concrete steps we can take to reduce the violence and weaponry in our midst,\" Obama wrote in two tweets.
We grieve with all the families in Sutherland Springs harmed by this act of hatred, and we’ll stand with the survivors as they recover...
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 6, 2017
May God also grant all of us the wisdom to ask what concrete steps we can take to reduce the violence and weaponry in our midst.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 6, 2017
Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz extended his support to everyone affected by the tragedy.
Keeping all harmed in Sutherland Springs in our prayers and grateful for our brave first responders on the scene.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) November 5, 2017
The other Texas Republican senator, John Cornyn, also offered his sentiments about the \"truly heartbreaking news\" in Sutherland Springs.
\"Please say a prayer for First Baptist congregation, first responders & the community there,\" he tweeted.
Truly heartbreaking news in #Sutherland Springs. Please say a prayer for First Baptist congregation, first responders & the community there
— JohnCornyn (@JohnCornyn) November 5, 2017
Some public officials called for action to try to stem gun violence.
Connecticut Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal tweeted, \"Enough is enough.\"
\"Now is the time for commonsense gun violence prevention steps. Congressional complicity must end,\" he wrote.
Enough is enough. Now is the time for commonsense gun violence prevention steps. Congressional complicity must end.
— Richard Blumenthal (@SenBlumenthal) November 5, 2017
Similarly, former Democratic Congresswoman and gunshot survivor Gabby Giffords said her \"heart is with the people of First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, their families and friends, and the first responders who rushed to the scene\" but that current gun laws need to be changed.
\"I am praying that our lawmakers find the courage to face our nation’s gun violence problem,\" she said in a statement. \"We can build a safer future for our children, but preventing future tragedies requires a president who acknowledges our gun violence problem and members of Congress who will stand up to the gun lobby and take action to save lives.\"
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