A somber Donald Trump began a planned White House prison-reform event on Friday with expressions of 'sadness and heartbreak' for victims of a school shooting in Texas that left eight people dead a few hours earlier.
'This has been going on too long in our country too many years, too many decades now,' the president said.
He did not specifically mention firearms or gun control, but did pledge that his administration will
'do everything in our power to protect our students, secure our schools, and to keep weapons out of the hands of those who pose a threat to themselves and to others.'
The president, head hung low, pronounced it a 'very sad day. Very, very sad.'
Trump had tweeted a brief message about the massacre already, writing: 'School shooting in Texas. Early reports not loking good. God bless all!'
First lady Melania Trump, still recovering from kidney surgery, wrote on Twitter: 'My heart goes out to Santa Fe and all of Texas today.'
Police took a single gunman into custody Friday morning after he opened fire in an art classroom at Santa Fe High School in Harris County.
Witnesses described how the killer burst through a classroom door and yelled 'Surprise!' before shooting his classmates.
Gun control, a potent political hot potato even when the U.S. isn't focused on condolences, has the potential to become a defining issue in the November midterm elections.
A Republican campaign strategist told DailyMail.com on Friday that it's 'one of those issues that can only hurt us if it's in the news – like terror attacks, if you're a Democrat.'
But Trump was focused on consoling, not politicking.
'Everyone must work together at every level of government to keep our children safe,' he said.
Cc;dailymail.
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