Local police report that as many as 14 have been killed and 14 wounded as they seek one to three heavily-armed suspects who may have escaped in a black SUV in the area around San Bernardino, Calif. The shooting occurred at the Inland Regional Center, a facility for people with developmental disabilities.
In the wake of yet another mass shooting even in the United States, the Diocese of San Bernardino and its bishop the Most Reverend Gerald R. Barnes issued a statement "calling for prayers for all of the victims of this horrific incident and their families."
Bishop Barnes said, "Today, we have experienced another tragic act of public violence, this time in our own Diocese of San Bernardino.... For those who lost their lives, we pray for their eternal rest and God’s strength to their loved ones left behind; for those who are wounded, we pray for their health and healing. Let us also ask God to protect the brave men and women in law enforcement who are pursuing the suspects in this case.
"Our community of San Bernardino has faced great challenges through the years. Let us come together now in unity to bring light to the darkness of this day."
President Obama was speaking to CBS news as the shooting story broke. He reiterated previous calls for for "common sense gun safety laws" and urged lawmakers to pass a law to prevent individuals on the "No Fly List," already barred from boarding commercial flights, from legally purchasing firearms.
"We don't yet know what the motives of the shooters are but what we do know is that there are steps we can take to make Americans safer," Obama said. "We should never think that this is just something that just happens in the ordinary course of events because it doesn't happen with the same frequency in other countries."
