Obama says US won’t be terrorized by California shootings
US President Barack Obama says his country will not be terrorized by the recent deadly mass shooting in the state of California.
Obama on Saturday said federal investigators would find out what motivated a married couple in California to shoot and kill 14 people, and asked Americans to stand united after the attacks.
"We are strong. And we are resilient. And we will not be terrorized," Obama said in his weekly address.
The remarks follow the Wednesday shooting in San Bernardino, California, where Tashfeen Malik and Syed Rizwan Farook were killed in a shootout with police after an attack during a holiday party at a social services agency, which left 14 people dead.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the killings as an "act of terrorism" after Malik was believed to have pledged allegiance to a leader of the Daesh terrorist group.
"It is entirely possible that these two attackers were radicalized to commit this act of terror," Obama said. "And if so, it would underscore a threat we've been focused on for years - the danger of people succumbing to violent extremist ideologies."
Obama has already been frustrated by his failure to convince Congress to pass tougher gun laws despite a series of mass shootings during his time in office.
In October, after another shooting, Obama tasked White House lawyers to find new ways he could use his executive powers to address the issue. That review is ongoing.
On Saturday, he called San Bernardino "another American community shattered by unspeakable violence" and said the tragedy was a reminder of the need to make it harder for criminals to get guns.
Obama said it was "insane" that Americans on the "no-fly list" are not banned from buying guns and called on Congress to address the issue.
"If you’re too dangerous to board a plane, you’re too dangerous, by definition, to buy a gun," Obama said.
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