>>>
>>> THANK
>>> THANK YOU. MY FELLOW AMERICANS, WE ARE
JOINED TOGETHER TODAY IN
SADNESS, SHOCK, AND GRIEF.
LAST NIGHT A GUNMAN OPENED FIRE
ON A LARGE CROWD AT A COUNTRY
MUSIC CONCERT IN LAS VEGAS,
NEVADA.
NEVADA.
NEVADA. HE BRUTALLY MURDERED MORE THAN
50 PEOPLE AND WOUNDED HUNDREDS
MORE.
MORE.
MORE. IT
MORE. IT WAS AN ACT OF PURE EVIL.
THE FBI AND THE DEPARTMENT OF
HOMELAND SECURITY ARE WORKING
CLOSELY WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES
TO ASSIST WITH THE INVESTIGATION
AND THEY WILL PROVIDE UPDATES AS
TO THE INVESTIGATION AND HOW IT
DEVELOPS.
DEVELOPS.
DEVELOPS. I WANT TO THANK THE LAS VEGAS
METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT
AND ALL OF THE FIRST RESPONDERS
FOR THEIR COURAGEOUS EFFORTS AND
FOR HELPING TO SAVE THE LIVES OF
SO MANY.
SO MANY.
SO MANY. THE SPEED WITH WHICH THEY ACTED
IS MIRACULOUS AND PREVENTED
FURTHER LOSS OF LIFE.
TO HAVE FOUND THE SHOOTER SO
QUICKLY AFTER THE FIRST SHOTS
WERE FIRED, IS SOMETHING FOR
WHICH WE WILL ALWAYS BE THANKFUL
AND GRATEFUL.
AND GRATEFUL. IT SHOWS WHAT TRUE
PROFESSIONALISM IS ALL ABOUT.
HUNDREDS OF OUR FELLOW CITIZENS
ARE NOW MOURNING THE SUDDEN LOSS
OF A LOVED ONE, A PARENT, A
CHILD, A BROTHER OR SISTER.
WE CANNOT PHANTOM THEIR PAIN, WE
CANNOT IMAGINE THEIR LOSS.
TO THE FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS,
WE ARE PRAYING FOR YOU AND WE
ARE HERE FOR YOU.
AND WE ASK GOD TO HELP SEE YOU
THROUGH THIS VERY DARK PERIOD.
SCRIPTURE TEACHES US THE LORD IS
CLOSE TO THE BROKENHEARTED AND
SAVES THOSE WHO ARE CRUSHED IN
SPIRIT.
SPIRIT.
SPIRIT. WE SEEK COMFORT IN THOSE WORDS,
FOR WE KNOW THAT GOD LIVES IN
THE HEARTS OF THOSE WHO GRIEVE.
TO THE WOUNDED WHO ARE NOW
RECOVERING IN HOSPITALS, WE ARE
PRAYING FOR YOUR FULL AND SPEEDY
RECOVERY, AND PLEDGE TO YOU OUR
SUPPORT FROM THIS DAY FORWARD.
IN MEMORY OF THE FALLEN, I HAVE
DIRECTED THAT OUR GREAT FLAG BE
FLOWN AT HALF STAFF.
I WILL BE VISITING LAS VEGAS ON
WEDNESDAY TO MEET WITH LAW
ENFORCEMENT, FIRST RESPONDERS,
AND THE FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS.
IN MOMENTS OF TRAGEDY AND
HORROR, AMERICA COMES TOGETHER
AS ONE.
AS ONE.
AS ONE. AND IT ALWAYS HAS.
WE CALL UPON THE BONDS THAT
UNITE US, OUR FAITH, OUR FAMILY,
AND OUR SHARED VALUES.
WE CALL UPON THE BONDS OF
CITIZENSHIP, THE TIES OF
COMMUNITY, AND THE COMFORT OF
OUR COMMON HUMANITY.
OUR UNITY CANNOT BE SHATTERED BY
EVIL, OUR BONDS CANNOT BE BROKEN
BY VIOLENCE, AND THOUGH WE FEEL
SUCH GREAT ANGER, AT THE
SENSELESS MURDER OF OUR FELLOW
CITIZENS, IT IS OUR LOVE THAT
DEFINES US TODAY.
AND ALWAYS WILL.
FOREVER.
FOREVER.
FOREVER. IN TIMES SUCH AS THESE, I KNOW
WE ARE SEARCHING FOR SOME KIND
OF MEANING IN THE CHAOS, SOME
KIND OF LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS.
THE ANSWERS DO NOT COME EASY.
BUT WE CAN TAKE SOLACE KNOWING
THAT EVEN THE DARKEST SPACE CAN
BE BRIGHTENED BY A SINGLE LIGHT
AND EVEN THE MOST TERRIBLE
DESPAIR CAN BE ILLUMINATED BY A
SINGLE RAY OF HOPE.
MELANIA AND I ARE PRAYING FOR
EVERY AMERICAN WHO HAS BEEN
HURT, WOUNDED OR LOST THE ONES
THEY LOVED SO DEARLY IN THIS
TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE ATTACK.
WE PRAY FOR THE ENTIRE NATION TO
FIND UNITY AND PEACE, AND WE
PRAY FOR THE DAY WHEN EVIL IS
BANISHED AND THE INNOCENT ARE
SAFE FROM HATRED AND FROM FEAR.
MAY GOD BLESS THE SOULS OF THE
LIVES THAT ARE LOST, MAY GOD
GIVE US THE GRACE OF HEALING AND
MAY GOD PROVIDE THE GRIEVING
FAMILIES WITH STRENGTH TO CARRY
ON.
ON.
ON. THANK
ON. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. GOD BLESS AMERICA.
THANK YOU.