White House spokesman Jay Carney cautiously talked about the Obama administration's support for gun control measures after the Navy Yard shooting in Washington Monday morning that took the lives of 12 people. After asserting it would be "inappropriate" to talk gun control so early, he later said "we will continue to work to take action to improve gun safety, reduce gun violence in this country through executive action, and hopefully Congress will take action to reduce gun violence as well."
Carney shied away from addressing gun control early in the Monday press briefing, but asked about the matter toward the end vowed further action – after clarifying there were still unknowns in the current situation.
“These are unfolding facts in an unfolding situation and investigation,” Carney said. “As the president said, the fact that this took place on a military installation, men and women who understand the risk when they are assigned overseas, certainly do not imagine they are taking those risks when they showed up for work this morning at a domestic military installation."
"So it would be inappropriate to try to put in context something about which we have so few facts," he added.
White House press secretary Jay Carney speaks during the daily news briefing at the White House, Monday, Sept. 16, 2013, in Washington. Credit: AP
However, Carney went on to talk about the various issues Obama has already discussed regarding gun control. The Senate rejected an Obama-backed bill requiring expanded background checks for gun purchasers.
"And we will continue to work to take action to improve gun safety, reduce gun violence in this country through executive action, and hopefully Congress will take action to reduce gun violence as well," he said.
The reporter followed up by listing the number of mass shootings, including the Aurora, Colo., movie theater shooting and the Newtown, Conn. elementary school shooting. Since that time, several states have passed sweeping gun control measures, including New York, Maryland, Colorado and Connecticut.
Carney referenced the “countless other deaths” that have resulted from gun violence.
“This is why we should take action to reduce gun violence,” Carney said. “We should take common sense action to supported by Americans from every part of the country."
Featured image via AP
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