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President Obama on Kalamazoo Shootings

Rebecca Thiele
/
WMUK

President Barack Obama spoke Monday from the White House about Saturday's mass shooting in Kalamazoo. The President say he's spoken with Kalamazoo Mayor Bobby Hopewell, Public Safety Chief Jeff Hadley, and Kalamazoo County Sheriff Richard Fuller and assured them that the federal government will provide any support they need for their investigation.

Obama praised the officers who responded to the shootings Saturday for quickly arresting the suspect, 45-year-old Jason Brian Dalton. Dalton was arraigned in Kalamazoo County District Court Monday on charges related to the shooting deaths of six people and wounding two others. Despite the rapid response, however, the President says, "Families are shattered today."

The President says Kalamazoo is the latest in a series of communities around the nation "terrorized by gun violence." Obama says his administration took steps earlier this year intended to keep firearms out of the hands of people prone to violence. But he says more needs to be done, adding that the country needs to work together on the issue in a "commonsense and bipartisan" way "rather than the rhetoric that often surrounds the issue."

Andy Robins has been WMUK's News Director since 1998 and a broadcast journalist for over 24 years. He joined WMUK's staff in 1985. Under his direction, WMUK has received numerous awards for news reporting.
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