Lawmakers praise Charleston response

by Molly K. Hooper - 06/26/15 5:15 PM ET

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill applauded the peaceful response to last week’s mass shooting in a historically black church in Charleston, S.C.

“I think what you saw in Charleston, first the tragedy, but then the forgiveness, is a step in such the right direction, and I’m hopeful that we as a country can find the forgiveness and start healing,” Rep. Dennis Ross (R-Fla.) said in an interview with The Hill’s Molly K. Hooper.

{mosads}Rep. Tom Reed (R-N.Y.) said the city’s reaction “to the horrific action that occurred by this evil man, that’s leadership. That is awe-inspiring.”

The show of solidarity following the racially charged killing of nine worshippers in a historically black church is a “model” of how to react to such incidents, said Rep. John Fleming (R-La.).

“I have never been more proud of a community than I am Charleston,” Fleming said. “The African-American community there, the church that was so affected by losing nine of their members in such a violent way, and yet, they’ve been so full of grace with this, so forgiving.”

“And certainly the white community, the community in general has all come together on this: politicians, people of all strides of life have all come together,” he added. “I think they should be a model of what the future should be when things like these happen.”

In a show of solidarity Friday, President Obama and Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) traveled to Charleston together on Air Force One to attend the funeral of one of the nine victims killed last week.

To hear the lawmakers in their own words, please watch the video above.