President Obama on Thursday said a full investigation is underway of a shooting Thursday in Chattanooga, Tenn., that left four Marines dead.
“I want everyone to understand we will be thorough and prompt in figuring out exactly what happened,” Obama told reporters in the Oval Office.
Obama said he was briefed by the FBI director and White House staff on the shooting. While all the details are not yet known, Obama said it appears there was a lone gunman.
Federal investigators have identified the shooter as Mohammad Youssuf Abdulazeez, a naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in Kuwait.
The shooter is also dead, according to local police.
“Although the families are still in the process of being contacted, I want them to know that I speak for the American people in expressing our deepest condolences and knowing that they have our full support in trying to overcome the grief that’s involved here,” Obama said.
“We take all shootings seriously,” Obama said, acknowledging the additional concern of the attack occurring at a military facility.
“In the meantime, I’d ask all Americans to pray for the families that are grief stricken at this point,” Obama said. “We will be thorough and prompt in figuring out exactly what happened.”
Obama said his main message was to offer condolences to the American people and the families of service members killed in the shooting.
“I want them to know that I speak for the American people in expressing our deepest condolences and knowing they have our full support,” he said.
He said it was “heartbreaking” that members of the military who served with “with great valor have been killed in this fashion.”
The president said he is in touch with the Department of Defense, which is making sure military bases around the country are secure.
