President Obama Responds to San Bernardino Shooting

President Barack Obama responded to the mass shooting in San Bernardino, California in an interview Wednesday with CBS News.

“We should never think that this is something that just happens in the ordinary course of events, because it doesn’t happen with the same frequency in other countries,” the President told CBS News anchor Norah O’Donnell during a previously scheduled interview about the climate change conference in Paris.

Though the President said he didn’t have much information about the ongoing situation, he confirmed that the FBI is assisting police at the site of the shooting. “Obviously our hearts go out to the victims and the families,” he said.

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Up to three gunmen opened fire at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino on Wednesday afternoon, leaving 14 people dead and another 14 injured, according to local authorities. At least one gunman may have fled the scene in a black SUV.

President Obama went on to call for bipartisan action to reform gun laws, noting that the frequency of mass shootings in the U.S. is greater than it is in other countries.

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“There’s some steps we could take, not to eliminate every one of these mass shootings, but to improve the odds that they don’t happen as frequently,” he said, calling for “common sense” gun safety laws and stronger background checks to accompany firearms purchases.

“We should never think that this is something that just happens in the ordinary course of events, because it doesn’t happen with the same frequency in other countries,” he continued.